Stocks edge lower in early trading on Wall Street

NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks are edging lower on Wall Street in early trading as investors take little solace from the latest deal to deliver financial help to Greece and an increase in U.S. home prices.

The Dow Jones industrial average was down 18 points at 12,949 shortly after the opening bell Tuesday.

The Standard & Poor's 500 index slipped less than two points to 1,404 and the Nasdaq composite was off three points at 2,974.

The European Union and the International Monetary fund agreed to release loan payments of $57 billion and announced new measures to reduce Greece's debts, which have threatened to break apart the monetary union.

Standard & Poor's/Case-Shiller reported that home prices increased in September in most major U.S. cities, more evidence of a housing recovery.