NEW YORK, March 2 (Xinhua) -- U.S. stocks ended mixed on Monday as investors weighed escalating tensions in the Middle East and their potential impact on global oil supplies.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.15 percent to 48,904.78. The S&P 500 added 0.04 percent to 6,881.62. The Nasdaq Composite Index increased 0.36 percent to 22,748.86.
Seven of the 11 primary S&P 500 sectors ended in the red. Consumer staples and consumer discretionary led the laggards, dropping 1.35 percent and 1.09 percent, respectively. Meanwhile, the energy and industrials sectors led the gainers, advancing 1.95 percent and 0.98 percent.
U.S. crude oil prices surged during the session as market participants expressed concerns over the interruption of supplies. Crude futures traded as much as 12 percent higher at their intraday peak.
Conversely, travel-related equities faced significant downward pressure due to the spike in energy costs. Major U.S. carriers, including Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, and American Airlines, declined between 2 percent and 5 percent.
In the technology sector, Nvidia gained 2.99 percent, and Microsoft rose 1.48 percent. Banking equities and economically sensitive stocks, such as Caterpillar, also managed to recover from earlier session lows to finish higher.
On the economic front, the Institute for Supply Management's Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index slipped to 52.4 in February from 52.6 in January. In the bond market, the yield on the benchmark 10-year U.S. Treasury note climbed over 8 basis points to reach 4.04 percent.
