Stocks Opened Slightly Lower, Eyed on Oil

U.S. stocks opened slightly lower on Monday, as investors focused on the price of oil and monitored comments by Federal Reserve members. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lately lost 1.51 points, or 0.01%, to 17,600.79. The S&P 500 added 0.39 point, or 0.02%, to 2,049.97. The Nasdaq Composite was up 10.23 points, or 0.21%, to 4,805.88.

U.S. crude oil futures for April delivery reversed losses to attempt gains, trading near $39.60 a barrel as of 8:44 a.m. ET.

Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide Inc on Monday agreed to a higher $13.6 billion offer from Marriott International Inc, a proposal that trumped a bid by China’s Anbang Insurance Group Co.

Information and analytics provider IHS Inc. and market-data firm Markit Ltd. said Monday they will merge, a so-called inversion deal that will create a data heavyweight based in London.

Sherwin-Williams said Sunday that it has reached a deal to acquire paint-industry rival Valspar in a deal it valued at $11.3 billion. Sherwin-Williams (SHW) based in Cleveland, said it would pay $113 in cash for each share of Valspar, whose headquarters are in Minneapolis.