Wall Street Opens Flat as Oil Prices Rise Ahead of Bank Earnings

Wall Street indices opened little changed on Monday as investors weighed rising oil prices against upcoming third-quarter corporate earnings and inflation data. The S&P 500 rose 4.18 points, or 0.05%, to 7,815.72 at the open, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 0.18% and the Nasdaq Composite fell 0.05%. Earlier, stock futures were subdued as Brent crude held above $100 a barrel amid Middle East tensions, before crude futures gained over 2%. Investors are watching reports from major banks, with S&P 500 third-quarter earnings projected to increase 30.6% year-over-year.