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Empresas y finanzas

Stocks fall at open on outlooks and sales


    NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stocks opened lower on Thursday as disappointing outlooks from blue-chip companies, including drugmaker Merck and chemical maker DuPont , suggested the economic slump is worsening.

    * Bleak November retail sales from major retailers, including Target Corp , heightened worries about consumer spending.

    * Job cut announcements from phone company AT&T and media company Viacom , spotlight severity of recession

    * The Dow Jones industrial average was down 74.95 points, or 0.87 percent, at 8,516.74. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index was down 10.17 points, or 1.17 percent, at 860.57. The Nasdaq Composite Index was down 20.32 points, or 1.36 percent, at 1,472.06.

    (Reporting by Chuck Mikolajczak; Editing by Kenneth Barry)