US stock market opens Monday flat

By Ovunc Kutlu

ISTANBUL (AA) - Major stock exchanges in the US opened Monday flat.

The Dow Jones decreased just 0.5 point to 38,671 at 9.39 a.m EDT.

The S&P 500 was down only 0.05 point to 5,025 after the index closed Friday above the 5,000 level for the first time in history.

The index posted a weekly gain of 1.4% last week, while it increased 14 of the past 15 weeks -- a feat that was last seen in 1972.

The VIX volatility index, also known as the fear index, rose 3.9% to 13.43, while the 10-year US Treasury yield fell 0.2% to 4.182%.

The dollar index increased 0.07% to 104.19, while the euro lost 0.1% to $1.0772 against the greenback.

Precious metals were mixed, with gold trimming 0.4% to $2,016 per ounce but silver increasing 0.05% to $22.62.

Oil prices were also mixed, with global benchmark Brent crude losing 0.2% to $82.03 per barrel but US benchmark West Texas Intermediate crude increasing 0.1% to $76.94 a barrel.