While investors worry when the Federal Reserve may reduce it’s stimulus program, the government reports jobless claims dropped by 15,000 and the consumer price index rose only two percent, but the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 225.47 points on disappointing earnings reports from Wal-Mart and Cisco. CNNMoney reports the Dow lost -1.47 percent, to close at 15,112.19, the sharpest drop in almost two months. The Nasdaq fell -1.72 percent, -63.15 points to end the day at 3,606.12, while the S&P lost -1.43 percent, -24.07 points, to close at 1,661.32. The Yahoo! Finance Manufactured Housing Composite fell -1.24 percent to end today’s session at 932.2. Many housing stocks we follow closed down, some ended the day even, although Cavco Industries lead the housing stocks we track, posting a +3.76 percent increase, +1.91, to end at 52.70, while Patrick Industries regained more of the ground it lost Monday, Aug. 12, moving up in today’s session +3.64 percent, +0.85 points, to end the day at 24.17. Sun Communities, Inc. dropped the most of stocks we follow, falling -2.86 percent, -1.31, to end the day at 44.55. Affiliated Managers Group 176.14 -3.98 (-2.21%). Deer Valley 0.59 -0.01 (-2.00%). Clayton Homes, Vanderbilt Mortgage and Finance, as well as MH home-building, lending and other housing suppliers parent company Berkshire Hathaway 172,500 -2,225.00 (-1.29%). Drew Industries, Inc. 42.87 -0.80 (-1.83%). Equity LifeStyle Properties 36.05 -0.61 (-1.66%). Liberty Homes remained steady at 0.60. Louisiana Pacific Industries 15.97 +0.03 (+0.19%). Nobility Homes continued at 8.50. Palm Harbor Homes remained unchanged. Skyline Corp. 4.80 -0.13 (-2.64%). Third Avenue Value Fund (Aug. 14) 56.67 +0.09 (+0.16%). UMH Properties, Inc. 9.83 -0.25 (-2.48%). Universal Forest Products, Inc. 38.67 -0.32 (-0.84%).

(Graphic credit: CNNMoney and RealTick)