Stocks Open Slightly Lower As Oil Prices Tumble

The S&P 500 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average on Tuesday were unable to follow through on record closes notched in the previous session, with upside momentum clipped as oil prices fell. The S&P 500 fell 0.2% to 2,448.56, while the Dow industrials declined 19 points, or 0.1%, to 21,511 in early action. Both gauges closed at records on Monday as the previously beaten down tech sector rebounded, which also lifted the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite, which was down 0.2% at 6,227 on Tuesday morning. Oil futures slumped, with the U.S. benchmark down more than 2% to trade at a seven-month low around $43.30 a barrel. The Energy Select Sector SPDR exchange traded fund fell 1,4% in early action.