Stocks opened lower on Tuesday as housing data failed to counter pessimism about the economy, while energy shares fell alongside the price of oil.

* The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> slipped 34.44 points, or 0.34 percent, to 9,975.29. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> fell 3.75 points, or 0.36 percent, to 1,045.17. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> gave up 9.31 points, or 0.44 percent, at 2,110.66.

(Reporting by Leah Schnurr; editing by Jeffrey Benkoe)

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