NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks are opening lower, led by more declines in energy and materials stocks as prices for oil and other commodities slide.
U.S. crude fell another 1.5 percent to $36 a barrel early Friday, the lowest it's been since February 2009.
In deal news, Dow Chemical and DuPont both fell after announcing the terms of their giant combination. Dow was down 4 percent and DuPont fell 6 percent.
Chevron was among the big oil and gas companies losing ground. The stock fell 3 percent in the first few minutes of trading.
The Dow Jones industrial average lost 232 points, or 1.3 percent, to 17,347.
The Standard & Poor's 500 index gave up 23 points, or 0.1.1 percent, to 2,029. The Nasdaq composite declined increased 49 points, or 1 percent, to 4,996.