Existing-home sales saw a minor decline in April, continuing March’s drop in sales, according to the National Association of Realtors. Two of the four major U.S. regions saw a slight dip in sales, while the West saw growth and the Midwest essentially bore no changes last month. Total existing-home sales, completed transactions that include single-family homes, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops, fell 0.4% from March to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.19 million in April. Total sales are down 4.4% from a year ago (5.43 million in April 2018).

Tuesday, the Dow gained 197.43 points (0.77%) to finish at 25,877.33, the NASDAQ closed 83.35 points (1.08%) higher at 7,785.72, and the S&P 500 increased 24.13 points (0.85%) to 2,864.36. The Russell 2000 was up 20.28 points (1.33%) at 1,545.25, and the Wilshire 5000 climbed 268.71 points (0.92%) to 29,586.79.

The price of the 10-year Treasury note was down 1/32, increasing its yield to 2.431%. The price of the 30-year Treasury bond was down 2/32, bringing its yield up to 2.848%.

ON THIS DATE: In 1841, Henry Kennedy received a patent for the first reclining chair. In 1849, Abraham Lincoln received a patent for the floating dry dock. In 1891, the first public motion picture was given in Thomas Edison’s lab. In 1892, Dr. Washington Sheffield invented the toothpaste tube. In 1900, the Associated Press was incorporated as a non-profit news cooperative in New York. In 1947, the Truman Doctrine was enacted by Congress to appropriate military and economic aid Turkey and Greece. In 1967, “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” premiered on PBS. In 1977, Janet Guthrie set the fastest time of the second weekend of qualifying, becoming the first woman to earn a starting spot in the Indianapolis 500 since its inception in 1911. In 1985, Pete Rose passed Hank Aaron as National League run scoring leader with 2,108. In 1992, Johnny Carson hosted NBC’s “Tonight Show” for the last time. He had been host for 30 years. In 2003, at the Colonial in Fort Worth, Texas, Annika Sorenstam became the first woman to play on the PGA tour in 58 years. She ended the day at 1-over par.

WEDNESDAY WISDOM: “Every man dies. Not every man really lives.”—William Wallace, Scottish Knight