In financial stocks news, Morgan Stanley ( MS ) was up 0.7% after ValueAct Capital Management LP built about a 2% stake in the investment bank, according to SEC filings. USB: flat Financial shares were mainly lower in pre-market trade Tuesday after the broader market slipped lower as the dollar came under pressure and investors digested a slew of economic data including consumer price index, core CPI, housing starts and building permits, and industrial production and capacity utilization. The company intends to use the net proceeds for debt repayments and for general business purposes.