Stocks Wavered ahead of Manufacturing Report

U.S. stocks wavered in the early trading on Monday, ahead of data on the housing and manufacturing sectors. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lately fell 18.49 points, or 0.12%, to 15,680.36. The S&P 500 was off 0.65 point, or 0.04%,, at 1,781.94. The Nasdaq Composite was up 1.27 points, or 0.03%, at 4,105.15.

Chrysler’s U.S. sales were hot last month even though much of the country was frigid, as the automaker reported an 8 percent increase over a year ago.

Long-term U.S. oil prices have slumped to record discounts versus Europe’s benchmark Brent. Oil for delivery in December 2016 has tumbled $3.50 a barrel in the first two weeks of the year, trading at just $79.45 on Friday afternoon, its lowest price since 2009.

Former Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke on Monday joined the centrist Washington think tank Brookings Institution, where he will help research policies that “foster a stronger recovery from the Great Recession,” said Ted Gayer, vice president and director of economic studies. Bernanke.