Stocks Opened Flat amid Uncertainty

U.S. stocks opened little changed on Monday, as geopolitical tensions remained high. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lately fell 20.18 points, or 0.09%, to 21,654.33. The S&P 500 dipped 0.35 point, or 0.01%, to 2,425.20. The Nasdaq Composite gained 4.74 points, or 0.08%, to 6,221.27.

Oil prices fell on Monday as a rally at the end of last week prompted investors to close positions at a higher price, against a backdrop of signs the global market is starting to rebalance. Benchmark Brent crude futures were down 15 cents at $52.57 a barrel at 1214 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures traded at $48.50 a barrel, down 1 cent.

Seempra Energy is buying Texas power transmitter Oncor for $9.45 billion in cash, wresting it away from Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway. Sempra said Monday that it will also pick up $9.35 billion of the company’s debt. To gain possession of Oncor, Sempra will acquire the reorganized Energy Future Holdings Corp.

Total (TOTF.PA) is buying Maersk’s oil and gas business in a $7.45 billion deal which the French energy major said would strengthen its operations in the North Sea and boost earnings and cash flow.