Stocks Open Lower As Investors Weigh Political Turmoil, Data

U.S. stocks opened lower Thursday as investors weighed concerns about President Donald Trump's ability to pursue pro-business policies amid a continued controversy over his response to weekend violence in Charlottesville, Va., and sorted through a mixed bag of economic data. The S&P 500 fell 0.3%, while the Nasdaq Composite shed 0.4%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average declined 47 points, weighed down in part as shares of components Wal-Mart Stores Inc. , down 2.8%, and Cisco Systems Inc. [CSCO], off 1.8%, declined following earnings.