Stocks Ended Lower amid Wariness before Earnings

U.S. stocks ended lower on Monday, with investors adopting a cautious approach two days before the release of minutes from the Federal Reserve’s last meeting and quarterly earnings. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 17.78 points, or 0.10%, to 16,991.91. The S&P 500 fell 3.08 points, or 0.16%, to 1,964.82. The Nasdaq Composite lost 20.82 points, or 0.47%, to 4,454.80.

The first patient diagnosed with the deadly Ebola virus on U.S. soil was being treated with an experimental drug made by Chimerix Inc. (CMRX) the trade publication Modern Healthcare said on its web site Monday afternoon.

Retail behemoth Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (WMT) said Monday it is contracting with online health insurance broker DirectHealth.com to help individuals get medical coverage at its stores.

A near-$6 billion deal involving Canada’s second-largest natural gas producer, Encana Corporation (NYSE: ECA), has the company expanding into a booming energy region in the United States. The company has agreed to purchase Athlon Energy Inc (NASDAQ: ATHL [FREE Stock Trend Analysis]) in an all cash transaction, which gives Encana exposure to the Permian Basin in Texas.