Stocks tumbled today as strength in the commodities market fed inflation fears and stifled investors’ enthusiasm over upbeat first-quarter earnings from Dow Jones industrial Alcoa Inc.

A late-day selloff left stocks mixed today as investors put aside their enthusiasm over acquisitions and evidence of a moderating economy and cashed in profits from an early advance.

Stocks tumbled today for the third straight session as investors, increasingly adopting a defensive strategy, bailed out of technology and other higher-risk shares.