ON THE MONEY

Stocks slump as Middle East violence surges

The Dow slumped 119 points on Tuesday as investors fretted over escalating tensions in the Middle East.

A report from The Wall Street Journal that Syrian warplanes had hit targets in western Iraq sent stocks skittering lower in late trading.

The blue-chip gauge, which brushed a record last week, fell 0.7% to 16,818.13. The broader S&P 500 fell 0.6%, and the Nasdaq Composite dropped 0.4%.

Starbucks makes smooth move to yogurt

Starbucks, which started selling handmade sodas in the South on Tuesday, is now testing three flavors of Greek yogurt smoothies as it continues trying to broaden its appeal beyond coffee.

The sweet greens, mango carrot and strawberry “Evolution Fresh Inspired by Dannon” drinks will be sold in about 170 locations.

Prices for the drinks, which will range from 170 to 230 calories, will vary by market. In San Jose, a 16-ounce smoothie will cost $5.95.

Walgreen hits delay button on forecast

Walgreen withdrew its financial goals for its fiscal year 2016 as it considers buying the remainder of Alliance Boots GmbH.

The country’s largest drugstore retailer purchased a 45% stake in Switzerland-based Alliance Boots in 2012 with an option to gain full control three years later. The structure of the combined company would affect its tax rate, Walgreen CEO Greg Wasson said.

The giant also reported a profit, excluding one-time items, of 91 cents a share for the quarter ended May 31, below analysts’ estimate of 94 cents a share. The stock lost $1.25 to close at $72.48 on Tuesday.

Consumer confidence boosts growth outlook

Consumers were the most optimistic they’ve been since 2008 as the job market’s recovery boosts their mood. The Conference Board’s index of U.S. consumer confidence increased to 85.2 in June from 82.2 a month earlier, the New York-based private research group said today. The results topped analysts’ expectations for 83.5.

Evidence has been piling up that the economy is rebounding after a dismal first three months.

Web.com drops on Google’s domain test

Web.com Group shares tumbled 20% after Google said it’s testing a service for finding and registering Internet domain names, potentially threatening Web.com’s main business. Google, the world’s biggest Web-search provider, disclosed the plans on its blog Monday. The shares of Web.com, which also offers similar registration services, fell to $27.70.