S&P 500, Dow slip on J&J vaccine worries; Apple, Amazon prop up Nasdaq

The S&P 500 and the Dow opened lower as a pause in Johnson & Johnson's Covid-19 vaccine trials weighed, while the Nasdaq rose ahead of major events scheduled for Apple and Amazon.com.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 72.57 points, or 0.25 per cent, at the open to 28,764.95.

The S&P 500 opened lower by 0.21 points, or 0.01 per cent, at 3,534.01, while the Nasdaq Composite gained 25.50 points, or 0.21 per cent, to 11,901.76 at the opening bell.