Good vibes from housing, confidence figures wear off, flattening stocks

Has the economy turned the corner? A few compelling signs emerged today: Home prices aren't falling as fast as they have been in recent months. And consumer confidence surged, though it remains deeply depressed. Such glimmers of optimism couldn't revive the markets, however, which closed slightly lower after the good vibes wore off in the mid-afternoon.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 8 points, or 0.1 percent, to 8,017, with bank stocks taking much of the blame. Bank of America (BAC) and Citigroup (C) both saw their shares sink on reports that they'd need to raise more capital as a result of the government's stress tests.

For more stocks making news today, be sure to check out BloggingStocks' market wrap-up.