Stocks Mixed as Europe Outlook Impoved

Stocks were mixed in early trading Monday amid optimism that euro zone policymakers were putting together new measures to help solve the debt crisis. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lately climbed 27.62 points, or 26%, to 10,799.10 points. The S&P 500 index fell 2.47 points, or 0.22% , to 1,133.96 and the Nasdaq Composite was off 29.54 points, or 1.19% to 2,453.59.

A move by European leaders to strengthen the European Financial Stability Facility bailout fund as well as reports of a possible repurchase of covered bonds by the European Central Bank lifted investor sentiment.

Netflix Inc has won a deal to pipe Dreamworks Animation movies starting in 2013, the first time a major Hollywood studio has chosen Internet streaming over traditional pay TV, The New York Times reported on Sunday.

Gold pared some of Monday’s losses by midday in Europe but was still on course for its largest monthly slide in three years, as investors scrambled for cash in the face of mounting fear over the impact of a potential Greek debt default.

As the prospect of a disastrous debt default hung over Greece, the government faced strikes and protests Monday against new austerity measures needed to appease the country’s rescue creditors.