Wall Street drops at open as airlines slump, China spat flares up

(Reuters) – U.S. stocks opened lower on Monday following growing U.S.-China tensions about the origins of the coronavirus outbreak, while billionaire Warren Buffett’s admission he had dumped his airline shares crushed major U.S. carriers.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) fell 142.14 points, or 0.60%, at the open to 23,581.55.

The S&P 500 (SPX) opened lower by 15.70 points, or 0.55%, at 2,815.01. The Nasdaq Composite (IXIC) dropped 49.63 points, or 0.58%, to 8,555.32 at the opening bell.