Stocks Opened Slightly Higher ahead of Trade Agreement, Earnings

U.S. stocks opened slightly higher on Monday, as investors looked ahead to the scheduled signing of a phase one U.S.-China trade deal this week and to the beginning of earnings season. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lately rose 29.25 points, or 0.10%, to 28,853.02. The S&P 500 was up 6.38 points, or 0.20%, to 3,271.73. The Nasdaq Composite advanced 14.89 points, or 0.16%, to 9,193.75.

Oil futures straddled the flat line Monday. West Texas Intermediate crude for February delivery rose 4 cents, or 0.1%, to $59.08 a barrel, while March Brent crude was up 2 cents, or less than 0.1%, at $65 a barrel.