S&P 500 AND NASDAQ START AUGUST LOWER AHEAD OF BUSY EARNINGS WEEK

The S&P 500 (.SPX) fell on Tuesday, the first day of a historically weak month, as investors awaited U.S. jobs data and major companies' earnings reports later this week. "It (August) is just a very illiquid period," said Scott Ladner, chief investment officer of Horizon Investments. "It might just because there's just a lack of staffing on the desk to really drive prices." U.S. equities ended July on a strong footing, boosted by better-than-expected earnings, and hopes of a soft landing for the economy that has stayed strong in the face of tighter credit conditions while inflation has cooled.

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