US stocks open lower as Dow heads for best month in 46 years

By Ovunc Kutlu

ANKARA (AA) - The US stocks opened with losses on Monday to kick off the last trading day of October on a lower note, but the Dow Jones was heading for its best monthly gain in 46 years.

The blue-chip index was down 132 points, or 0.4%, to 32,731 at 9.47 a.m. EDT shortly after the opening day, but it has been up around 14% since the beginning of October -- its best monthly record since 1976.

The S&P 500 fell 32 points, or 0.83%, to 3,867 and the Nasdaq lost 133 points, or 1.2%, to 10,968. The indices gained 8% and 4%, respectively, during this month.

The VIX volatility index, also known as the fear index, was up 4.5% to 26.90. The 10-year US Treasury yield rose 1.1% to 4.056%.

The dollar index added 0.6% to 111.44, still around its highest in 20 years, while the euro lost 0.7% to $0.9893 against the greenback.

Precious metals were falling, with gold shedding 0.3% to $1,639 and silver losing 0.9% to $19.08.

Oil prices were on the decline with global oil benchmark Brent crude trading at $93.58 per barrel, down 0.2%. US benchmark West Texas Intermediate was around $87.66 – down 0.3%.