Consumer Companies Flat After Home-Builder Survey -- Consumer Roundup

Shares of retailers and other consumer-services companies were flat after a strong reading of home-builder confidence.

In a good sign for the housing industry, the National Association of Home Builders on Tuesday said its index that measures confidence in the market for new single-family homes rose to 68 in October from 64 in September, though the tally was still short of its peak in the spring.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture dropped efforts to tighten regulations governing how meat companies deal with the farmers who raise the nation's poultry and livestock.

Rob Curran, rob.curran@dowjones.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

October 17, 2017 17:45 ET (21:45 GMT)