Stocks opened flat on Tuesday as the S&P 500 found support near their 50-day moving average, following four days of losses on the benchmark index.

The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> dropped 20.66 points, or 0.16 percent, to 12,908.93. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> dropped 2.15 points, or 0.16 percent, to 1,380.05. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> gained 0.14 points, or 0.00 percent, to 3,047.22.

(Reporting By Chuck Mikolajczak; Editing by Theodore d'Afflisio)