Stock Market Update

[BRIEFING.COM] The S&P 500 (flat), Nasdaq Composite (+0.2%), and DJIA (flat) sit mixed shortly after the open as a majority of sectors trade near their unchanged levels.

The energy sector (-1.8%) is one of just a few outliers this morning that has strayed a considerable distance from its unchanged level, falling as the price of oil slides $1.44 (-2.5%) to $55.38 per barrel. 

Stocks in the health care sector (-0.9%) are also under some pressure this morning in the wake of yesterday's 1.3% advance. 

Meanwhile, the information technology sector (+0.3%) has reversed an opening loss after underperforming yesterday. Broadcom (AVGO 342.00, +2.19, +0.64%) and Oracle (ORCL 186.61, +1.69, +0.91%) finally tick higher this morning after another day of heavy selling pressure in yesterday's session. 

The communication services (+0.4%) and consumer discretionary (+0.2%) sectors also hold modest gains in their mega-cap components, which traded mostly lower yesterday. 

The preliminary S&P Global U.S. Manufacturing PMI for December checked in at 51.8, from a prior reading of 52.2.

The preliminary S&P Global U.S. Services PMI registered at 52.9, from a prior reading of 54.1. 

September Business Inventories increased by 0.2% (Briefing.com consensus: 0.1%).