Wall Street Down

Wall Street edged lower today as investors sought profits from the previous day’s session, taking a pause between key economic reports while the earnings season winds down.

After sending the markets higher on an encouraging report from the manufacturing sector on Monday, investors were sifting through some of the last third-quarter results and awaiting employment numbers, due later this week.

The gap between economic reports made it a good day to take money off the table, said Brian Williamson, an equity trader at The Boston Company Asset Management.

“What you’re seeing here is kind of a void between economic data,” Williamson said. “Stocks are up and money managers have to take profits. With two months to go in the year, they’ll want to lock in whatever gains they can.”

The Dow Jones industrial average closed down 19.63, or 0.2%, at 9,838.83.

The broader gauges also closed lower. The Nasdaq composite index declined 9.73, or 0.5 percent, to 1,957.97. The Standard & Poor’s 500 index lost 5.77, or 0.5 percent, to close at 1,053.25.

Generally strong economic data, merger news and solid financial results helped the markets climb over the past month. But analysts say there could be falls ahead amid a lack of earnings news.

“Our sense here is that the easy money has already been made,” said Enrique Figueroa, chief investment officer at asset management firm Sand Hill Advisors in Palo Alto, California.

“If you want to outperform the market now … you now have to be more of a stock picker.”

Among companies reporting results Tuesday, Clear Channel Communications said its third-quarter earnings tripled, largely on gains from its sale of shares in Spanish-language broadcaster Univision.

Gillette easily beat analysts’ estimates with an 18 percent rise in third-quarter earnings, thanks to strong razor sales.

Advancers also included Tyco after the company said its quarterly losses had narrowed sharply.

Advancers and decliners were about even on the New York Stock Exchange. Volume was moderate.

The Russell 2000 index, which tracks smaller company stocks, closed up 1.03, or 0.2 percent, at 538.87.