Stocks Opened Lower amid Dimming Trade Hopes

U.S. stocks opened lower on Monday as concerns over trade flared up. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lately fell 110.50 points, or 0.40%, to 27,570.74. The S&P 500 declined 14.01 points, or 0.45%, to 3,079.07. The Nasdaq Composite lost 46.32 points, or 0.55%, to 8,428.99.

Oil futures headed lower Monday as recent developments in Sino-American trade negotiations reignited some fears about demand for energy assets in the face of a prolonged tariff scuffle. West Texas Intermediate crude for December delivery fell 66 cents, or 1.2%, to reach $56.58 a barrel. January Brent crude gave up 54 cents, or 0.9%, to hit $61.97 a barrel.

President Donald Trump over the weekend refuted reports that the U.S. was necessarily prepared to lift tariffs on China as part of phase one trade agreement.