NEW YORK (Reuters) - The Dow Jones industrial average fell on Monday, dragged lower by a drop in shares of Merck & Co after a panel recommended patients try cheaper cholesterol drugs.The S&P 500 index was little changed as higher oil prices lifted energy shares such as Exxon Mobil Corp , offsetting a drop in health-care stocks. Technology shares also eked out slim gains, led by Apple Inc .The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> fell 26.70 points, or 0.22 percent, to 12,189.70. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> slipped 2.01 points, or 0.15 percent, to 1,313.21. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> edged up 1.40 points, or 0.06 percent, to 2,262.58.(Reporting by Ellis Mnyandu; Editing by Kenneth Barry) (c) Reuters 2008. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by caching, framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters and the Reuters sphere logo are registered trademarks and trademarks of the Reuters group of companies around the world.
|