Stocks Opened Higher; Crude Oil Fell Below $49

U.S. stocks opened slightly higher on Tuesday, but a continuing slide in oil prices and flight into safe assets such as government bonds is likely to keep gains in check. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lately gained 49.64 points, or 0.28%, to 17,551.29. The S&P 500 was up 5.00 points, or 0.25%, to 2,025.58. The Nasdaq Composite added 2.98 points, or 0.06%, to 4,655.56.

Crude-oil futures extended their decline, with the U.S. benchmark falling further below the $50 level as worries over Greek debt were added to a litany of bearish factors, including a global supply glut and a further rise by the U.S. dollar. On the New York Mercantile Exchange, light, sweet crude for delivery in February  was down $1.07, or 2.1%, at $48.97 a barrel, after dropping as low as $48.47.

U.S. home values rose at a measured pace in November, a sign that demand remains weak as many buyers have been priced out of the market. Prices increased 5.5 percent in November compared with 12 months earlier, real estate provider CoreLogic said Tuesday.

Johnson & Johnson on Tuesday said it has begun testing its Ebola-virus vaccine in humans and will have more than 400,000 doses available in April.

Coach Inc. COH, +0.82% said Tuesday it is buying luxury footwear brand Stuart Weitzman from private equity firm Sycamore Partners, in a deal valued at up to $574 million.