U.S. stock markets fell on Monday as some blue-chip companies reported disappointing earnings and investors took profits from last week's strong gains. The Dow Jones industrial average was down 37.94 points, or 0.34 percent, to finish at 11,181.76. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index was down 2.07 points, or 0.16 percent, at 1,276.48. And the Nasdaq Composite Index was down 2.67 points, or 0.13 percent, at 2,091.47. For the month of July, the Dow average rose 0.31 percent and the S&P 500 gained 0.51 percent. The Nasdaq, however, slid for a fourth straight month—falling 3.71 percent in July. Meanwhile, the cost of a barrel of light, sweet crude oil for August delivery rose on the New York Mercantile Exchange by $1.16 to end the day's trading at $74.40. The New York Stock Exchange lost 12.86 points to close at 8,242.12. The American Stock Exchange gained 6.26 points to finish at 1,970.42 and the Russell 2000 Index ended up just 0.53 of a point, finishing at 700.56.
