NEW YORK (Reuters) - US stocks ended slightly lower yesterday as gains in consumer-related stocks, including tobacco shares, were offset by losses in the energy sector.

Shares of Coca Cola Co. and Procter & Gamble Co. were two of the Dow Jones Industrial Average's best performers. Coca-Cola rose 1.6 percent to $51.08 and P&G gained 1.4 percent to $60.62.

Consumer shares rose after the government said personal spending rose moderately in May, exceeding expectations, after being flat in April.

Tobacco companies rallied after the US Supreme Court rejected an attempt by the US government to wrest billions of dollars in damages from the tobacco industry. Altria Group Inc. gained 3.3 percent to $20.34 and Reynolds American Inc. jumped 4.1 percent to $53.45.

The Dow Jones tobacco index rose 1.8 percent.

The spotlight, however, was on the consumer as investors and analysts waited for further evidence that consumer spending, which accounts for two-thirds of economic activity, would show greater strength and propel broad growth.

"What has been driving the market higher has been expectations that the good manufacturing recovery we've seen is going to take root and drive the whole economy forward," said Peter Jankovskis, co-chief investment officer at OakBrook Investments LLC in Lisle, Illinois.

"But the big concern there is, the consumer has to be the one to step up to the plate and make that happen."

The Dow Jones industrial average dropped 5.29 points, or 0.05 percent, to 10,138.52. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index slipped 2.19 points, or 0.2 percent, to 1,074.57. The Nasdaq Composite Index shed 2.83 points, or 0.13 percent, to 2,220.65.

The S&P Consumer Staples index advanced 1.1 percent.

But Wall Street's earlier advance was short-circuited by weakness in the energy sector, as US crude oil futures fell as fears Tropical Storm Alex would disrupt production in the Gulf of Mexico eased. Exxon Mobil Corp. shares dipped 1.1 percent to $58.47.

Among the bright spots in the energy sector, Noble Corp (NE.N), owner of the second-largest fleet of offshore drilling rigs, gained 2.5 percent to $30 after announcing it would buy Norway's privately held Frontier Drilling for $2.16 billion.

After the closing bell, 3M Co. gained one percent to $79.75 as the diversified manufacturer announced a second-quarter sales forecast in the range of $6.6 billion to $6.75 billion.

About 7.08 billion shares traded on the New York Stock Exchange, the American Stock Exchange and Nasdaq, the lowest volume since April 5 and below last year's estimated daily average of 9.65 billion.

Declining stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the New York Stock exchange by 1,626 to 1,420 while on the Nasdaq there were 1,572 declining stocks and 1,090 advancers.

The government said consumer spending rose 0.2 percent last month, just above the 0.1 percent growth forecast by economists polled by Thomson Reuters. However, personal income rose 0.4 percent.

The bigger increase in income versus spending signals that consumers are saving more, which could hurt retailers and hamper overall economic growth.

Major retailers fell after the report. Macy's Inc. lost one percent, while Amazon.com Inc. fell 2.6 percent. Home Depot Inc. fell two percent.