US stocks stall at opening bell

U.S. stock gains stalled Monday morning, taking a cue from Asia and Europe, where stocks were wobbly as well. Major stock indexes were mixed in Asia, but broadly lower in Europe, where financial leaders concluded a two-day meeting over the weekend that was held to review rescue programs for countries struggling to control government debt. The New York Times reported Monday that the meeting in Nicosia, Cyprus, underscored differences of opinion, rather than a move towards consensus, on how to help Spain, which is reluctant to accept help that adds to its debt burden. In midmorning trading on Wall Street, the Dow Jones industrial average shed 18.59 points or 0.14 percent to 13,574.78. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite index lost 7.54 points or 0.24 percent to 3,176.41. The Standard and Poor's 500 dropped 2.22 points or 0.15 percent to 1,463.55. The benchmark 10-year treasury rose 7/32 to yield 1.846 percent. The euro rose to $1.3147 from Friday's $1.313. The U.S. dollar rose to 78.81 yen from 78.39 yen.