Published December 8, 2016 9:32am EST | Updated December 8, 2016 11:04am EST

U.S. Stocks Open Flat After ECB Decision

U.S. stocks opened flat on Thursday, with the S&P 500 index, Nasdaq Composite index and Dow Jones Industrial Average trading just shy of all-time highs, after the European Central Bank said it would decrease its monthly bond purchases beginning in April. The S&P 500 fell three points, or 0.1%, to 2,238, while the Dow was flat at 19,541. The Nasdaq was little-changed at 5,392. Meanwhile, rising crude oil prices helped lift energy shares.