Dow Falls 93 Points On Another Weak Opening

New York, NY (AHN) - U.S. markets plunged Tuesday as traders prepare for an upcoming report on the health of manufacturing, as well as the prospect of a third quarterly decline on Wall Street.

After diving 115 points in pre-opening trading, the Dow Jones Industrial Average levelled off to open 93 points down at 11,256.

The broader Standard and Poor's 500 index was down 10 points to 1,269 at 9:39 Eastern.

The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index also opened lower, falling 22 points at 2,270.

At 10, the Institute of Supply Management reports its manufacturing index for June with analysts expecting the figure to fall to 48.5 percent from May's 49.6 percent reading.

Investors also are mulling whether the third quarter will resemble the prior two periods. The big board shed 10.2 percent in June and 7.4 percent in the second quarter.

In commodities, oil prices gained $2.80 to $142.80 a barrel, after Monday reaching $143.67 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

Gold was also up, advancing by $12.50 to $940.80 an ounce.