Investing.com - U.S. stocks fell on Monday on the coattails of falling energy companies, whose shares took a dive on slumping oil prices, while a general bout of profit taking sent broader indices edging lower as well.
At the close of U.S. trading, the Dow 30 fell 0.15%, the S&P 500 index fell 0.31%, while the NASDAQ Composite index rose 0.20%.
The Volatility S&P 500 index, which measures the outlook for market volatility, was up 4.71% at 12.66.
Oil prices tumbled earlier after data revealed that China's imports fell unexpectedly, underlining concerns over the health of the world's second largest economy.
Chinese exports climbed 9.4% from a year earlier, beating expectations for an 8% increase, however imports declined 2.4% last month, disappointing forecasts for a 1.7% gain, which pushed oil prices lower.
The country’s trade surplus widened to a record high of $49.8 billion in August from $47.3 billion in July, compared to estimates for a surplus of $40.0 billion.
Oil prices continued to come under pressure from Friday's weak U.S. jobs report.
The Department of Labor reported that the U.S. economy added 142,000 jobs in August, far less than the expected increase of 225,000.
The report also showed that the U.S. unemployment rate ticked down to 6.1% last month, from 6.2%, in line with expectations.
Persistent concerns that the global economy still faces headwinds while oil supply remains ample have battered crude prices in recent sessions, which hit equities markets on Monday, especially on sentiments that military conflicts in Ukraine, Iraq and elsewhere in the Middle East have not disrupted shipments as once feared.
Profit taking sent stocks falling as well.
Recent factory gauges, service-sector reports, retail sales figures, broader economic growth numbers and other indicators have suggested the U.S. economy is on the mend despite hiccups here and there, which have pushed stock indices to record highs.
In company news, Yahoo! Inc (NASDAQ:YHOO) shares advanced on hopes for a strong Alibaba initial public offering. Yahoo owns a 22.4% stake in Alibaba.
Boeing Company (NYSE:BA) stocks rallied after Irish low-cost-carrier Ryanair Hldgs (NASDAQ:RYAAY) announced an order for 100 Boeing 737 aircraft with options to buy another 100.
Leading Dow Jones Industrial Average performers included Boeing Company (NYSE:BA), up 2.64%, Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT), up 1.22%, and Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC), up 0.94%.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average's worst performers included Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM)l, down 1.50%, Wal-Mart Stores Inc (NYSE:WMT), down 1.26%, and Dupont Fabros Technology Inc (NYSE:DFT), down 0.97%.
European indices, meanwhile, ended the day largely lower.
After the close of European trade, the DJ Euro Stoxx 50 fell 0.29%, France's CAC 40 fell 0.26%, while Germany's DAX rose 0.11%. Meanwhile, in the U.K. the FTSE 100 fell 0.30%.