Investing.com - U.S. stocks were higher on Monday, amid discussions in the European Union about a recently agreed fiscal plan while mass downgrades in the euro zone continued to loom.
During early U.S. trade, the Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 0.21%, the S&P 500 index rose 0.04%, while the Nasdaq Composite index gained 0.16%.
European Union finance ministers were to discuss plans to provide up to EUR200 billion in loans to the International Monetary Fund, as well as changes to the EU treaty that would allow a permanent EUR500 billion bailout fund to be established.
Meanwhile, investors remained concerned over the risk of credit rating cuts continued to weigh after ratings agency Fitch lowered France’s credit outlook and put six euro zone countries on review pending possible downgrades on Friday.
Sentiment was hit earlier following the announcement of North Korean leader Kim Jong il's death, spurring fears of geopolitical instability in northeast Asia.
Winn-Dixie Stores saw shares skyrocket 69.98% on news that privately held supermarket operator BI-LO had agreed to buy the company for USD560 million in cash.
Meanwhile, AT&T rose 0.31% amid talks over potential asset sales as part of the company’s efforts to get approval of its USD39 billion purchase of T-Mobile USA have gone cold, according to the Wall Street Journal.
The world's largest maker of household products, Procter & Gamble added 0.41% after halting full-time hiring for this fiscal year.
Elsewhere, Vertex Pharmaceuticals jumped 0.91% after RBC Capital Markets raised its recommendation for the drugmaker’s shares.
Las Vegas Sands saw shares rally 1.06% after its China unit said an investigation by the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission for alleged breaches of regulations has ended. The SFC started a probe of the China unit of Las Vegas Sands in March.
On the downside, the financial sector was broadly lower. Shares in Citigroup plunged 3.19% and Bank of America tumbled 2.50%, while JPMorgan and Goldman Sachs declined 1.54% and 1.35% respectively.
Across the Atlantic, European stock markets were mixed. The EURO STOXX 50 climbed 0.81%, France’s CAC 40 rose 0.74%, Germany's DAX jumped 0.45%, while Britain's FTSE 100 declined 0.49%.
During the Asian trading session, Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index tumbled 1.5%, while Japan’s Nikkei 225 Index retreated 1.25%.
During early U.S. trade, the Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 0.21%, the S&P 500 index rose 0.04%, while the Nasdaq Composite index gained 0.16%.
European Union finance ministers were to discuss plans to provide up to EUR200 billion in loans to the International Monetary Fund, as well as changes to the EU treaty that would allow a permanent EUR500 billion bailout fund to be established.
Meanwhile, investors remained concerned over the risk of credit rating cuts continued to weigh after ratings agency Fitch lowered France’s credit outlook and put six euro zone countries on review pending possible downgrades on Friday.
Sentiment was hit earlier following the announcement of North Korean leader Kim Jong il's death, spurring fears of geopolitical instability in northeast Asia.
Winn-Dixie Stores saw shares skyrocket 69.98% on news that privately held supermarket operator BI-LO had agreed to buy the company for USD560 million in cash.
Meanwhile, AT&T rose 0.31% amid talks over potential asset sales as part of the company’s efforts to get approval of its USD39 billion purchase of T-Mobile USA have gone cold, according to the Wall Street Journal.
The world's largest maker of household products, Procter & Gamble added 0.41% after halting full-time hiring for this fiscal year.
Elsewhere, Vertex Pharmaceuticals jumped 0.91% after RBC Capital Markets raised its recommendation for the drugmaker’s shares.
Las Vegas Sands saw shares rally 1.06% after its China unit said an investigation by the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission for alleged breaches of regulations has ended. The SFC started a probe of the China unit of Las Vegas Sands in March.
On the downside, the financial sector was broadly lower. Shares in Citigroup plunged 3.19% and Bank of America tumbled 2.50%, while JPMorgan and Goldman Sachs declined 1.54% and 1.35% respectively.
Across the Atlantic, European stock markets were mixed. The EURO STOXX 50 climbed 0.81%, France’s CAC 40 rose 0.74%, Germany's DAX jumped 0.45%, while Britain's FTSE 100 declined 0.49%.
During the Asian trading session, Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index tumbled 1.5%, while Japan’s Nikkei 225 Index retreated 1.25%.