U.S. stocks open lower as oil rout resumes
U.S. stocks opened lower on Wednesday, led by energy plays as oil prices retreated. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 42 points, or 0.2%, to trade at 17,677 after the opening bell, while the S&P 500 index declined 6 points, or 0.3%, to trade at 2,072. Meanwhile, the Nasdaq Composite index dropped 11 points, or 0.2%, to trade at 5,096. Declining crude-oil prices have been weighing on stock indexes throughout 2015, and the S&P's energy sector is the worst performer on the index, down 23.5% for the year, with only two trading session left until year end. On Wednesday, energy companies Exxon Mobil and Chevron were leading the Dow industrials decliners.
Market Pulse Stories are Rapid-fire, short news bursts on stocks and markets as they move. Visit MarketWatch.com for more information on this news.