Stocks Opened Mixed ahead of Midterm Elections

U.S. stocks opened mixed on Monday as investors braced for a week that including key elections in Washington and the latest policy outlook by the Federal Reserve. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lately rose 97.46 points, or 0.39%, to 25,368.29. The S&P 500 climbed 5.94 points, or 0.22%, to 2,729.00. The Nasdaq Composite slipped 49.25 points, or 0.67%, to 7,307.74.

Oil futures pushed higher in choppy trade Monday,, as sanctions on Iran take effect but are blunted by the Trump administration’s decision to grant waivers to eight buyers of the country’s crude. West Texas Intermediate for December rose 39 cents, or 0.6%, to $63.53 a barrel. January Brent crude rose 62 cents, or 0.9%, to $73.45 a barrel.

Lowe’s Companies Inc (LOW) is closing 20 underperforming stores in the United States and 31 in Canada as part of a restructuring, the home improvement retailer said on Monday.