The S&P 500 has outpaced the Dow Jones Industrial Average despite President Trump's rejection of exceptions to the Aug. 1 date he set to launch his latest tariffs. Meanwhile, the Nasdaq has had a day in the green.

U.S. stocks are lower on Monday after a three-day holiday break as investors keep an eye out for more trade-related developments.

Tuesday's relatively muted action in markets follows losses on Monday when Trump posted a flurry of letters to social media that announced new tariff rates ranging from 25% to 40% on more than a dozen countries starting August 1.