NEW YORK, Dec. 20 (UPI) -- Falling oil prices and a merger between the Exelon Corp. and the Public Service Enterprise Group Monday helped blue chip stocks recover from Friday's slump.
The Dow Jones industrial average was ahead 11.68 points, or 0.11 percent, ending at 10,661.60 on a volume of 1.4 billion shares. Nasdaq dropped 7.35 points, or 0.34 percent, to close at 2,127.85, and Standard & Poor was up 0.46 points, 0.04 percent, to end the session at 1,194.66.
Economists credited falling oil prices, as well as a high-profile merger between utility giants Exelon and Public Service Enterprise Group, for the rise in stocks, the Wall Street Journal reported.
The front-month oil contract slipped 38 cents to $45.90 a barrel.
The 10-year Treasury note gained 4/32, or $1.25 for each $1,000 invested, with the yield rising to 4.18 percent.
The dollar weakened, trading at 103.945 yen, compared with 104.18 Friday, while the euro strengthened against the dollar to $1.3405 from Friday's $1.3310.
Japan's Nikkei Stock Average of 225 issues closed up 25.10 points, or 0.2 percent, to close at 11,103.42 points.
