Stocks Ended Mixed, Nasdaq Hit Record

U.S. stocks ended mixed, with the Dow and S&P 500 retreated and the Nasdaq closed at an all-time high. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 75.42 points or 0.38%, to 19,887.38, further retreating from the psychologically significant 20,000 level. The S&P 500 declined 8.08 points, or 0.35%, to 2,268.90. The Nasdaq Composite gained 10.76 points, or 0.19%, to 5,531.82.

Oil futures on Monday settled at their lowest level since mid-December. February West Texas Intermediate crude lost $2.03, or 3.8%, to settle at $51.96 a barrel. March Brent crude fell $2.16, or 3.8%, to $54.94 a barrel.

The Federal Housing Administration, the government insurer of low down-payment home loans, is reducing the annual mortgage insurance premium by 25 basis points, which it says will save FHA borrowers an average $500 this year.

Volkswagen AG suffered a new setback on Monday when an executive was charged with conspiracy to defraud the United States over the company’s diesel emissions cheating and the automaker was accused of concealing the cheating from regulators.