Concerns about Ukraine send stock indexes lower

Renewed concerns that tensions could flare between Russia and Ukraine pushed U.S. stocks sharply lower Tuesday.

The Dow lost 139.81 points, or 0.8 percent, to 16,429.47, the lowest level for the index since mid-May. The Standard & Poor’s 500 index lost 18.78 points, or 1 percent, to 1,920.21 and the Nasdaq composite fell 31.05 points, or 0.7 percent, to 4,352.84.

More properties for sale slow rise in home prices

U.S. home prices rose in June by the smallest year-over-year amount in 20 months, slowed by modest sales and more properties coming on the market.

Data provider CoreLogic said Tuesday that prices rose 7.5 percent in June compared with 12 months earlier. That’s a solid gain but less than the 8.3 percent year-over-year increase in May and a recent year-to-year peak of 11.9 percent in February.

On a month-to-month basis, June prices rose just 1 percent, down from 1.4 percent in May. CoreLogic’s monthly figures aren’t adjusted for seasonal patterns.

‘Gluten-free’ food labels now mean what they say

Starting Tuesday, “gluten free” labels on packaged foods have real meaning. Until now, the term “gluten-free” was unregulated, and manufacturers made their own decisions about what it meant.

Under a rule announced a year ago, manufacturers had until this week to ensure that anything labeled gluten-free contains less than 20 parts per million of gluten – ensuring that those products are technically free of wheat, rye and barley. That amount is generally recognized to be low enough so that most people who have celiac disease won’t get sick if they eat it.

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