US stocks start week on mixed note

By Ovunc Kutlu

ISTANBUL (AA) - The Dow Jones was lower, while the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq gained at the opening bell on Tuesday as US stocks kicked off the week on a mixed note.

The Dow was down 114 points, or 0.3%, to 38,955 at 9.35 a.m. EDT, after the blue-chip index fell 2.3% last week to end a five-week winning streak.

The S&P 500, on the other hand, rose nine points, or 0.17%, to 5,331 after the index last week posted a gain of only 0.03%.

The Nasdaq, meanwhile, added 75 points, or 0.44%, to 16,995. Last week, the tech-heavy index saw a 1.4% increase to close at a record-high.

The New York Stock Exchange was closed Monday in observance of Memorial Day.

The VIX volatility index, also known as the fear index, rose 1.8% to 12.58. The 10-year US Treasury yield shed 0.36% to 4.457%.

The dollar index fell 0.2% to 104.39, while the euro rose 0.12% to $1.0871 against the greenback.

Precious metals were in positive territory, with gold adding 0.3% to $2,358 per ounce and silver increasing 0.1% to $31.84.

Oil prices were also in the green, with global benchmark Brent crude rising 0.6% to $83.35 per barrel and US benchmark West Texas Intermediate crude gaining 2% to $79.29.