US stock markets open mixed

By Ovunc Kutlu

NEW YORK (AA) – U.S. stock markets opened mixed Monday as falling oil prices were balanced with gains in major American companies' share values.

The Dow Jones added five points to begin the first trading day of the new week at 19,832.

The S&P 500 was down less than a point at 2,270. The Nasdaq rose five points to 5,561.

At the first bell, American benchmark West Texas Intermediate was down 1.1 percent to $52.34 a barrel, while international benchmark Brent crude was at $54.72 – a 0.8 percent decline.

American Airlines' stock price was up 1 percent, while NRG Energy’s share values gained 3.5 percent.