American equity markets start off week in the red

The US Stock market experienced a negative opening as Monday as investors return from a weekend dominated by sequester-speak. While the enduring outcome of this phenomenon is not currently known – neither Democrats or Republicans envisioned this scenario originally playing out – market participants will surely be eying payrolls later this week.

Beginning with the indices and composites, the NASDAQ fell -0.24% as it settles in region of 3162.13, down -7.56 points in these moments. In addition, the S&P 500 is trading in negative territory, operating at 1514.80, descending -3.17 points or -0.21% at the time of writing. Finally, the Dow Jones has moved lower at the opening, trading in the zone of 14056.69, presently -0.24% after a movement of -33.56 points.

Sectors are nearly all in the green currently, however the Basic Materials and Technology sectors have distinguished themselves as main losers thus far, falling -0.62% and -0.46% respectively. In other news, the price of crude has settled below USD $90.56/bbl Monday.