NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stocks edged lower at the open on Tuesday as mounting fallout from the worldwide economic slump fueled a global sell-off in equities and investors worried about the outlook for Citigroup .
* Hopes Washington would work speedily on a plea by U.S. President-elect Barack Obama for remaining financial rescue funds to stabilize credit markets provided some support.
* Investors drew comfort from comments by Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke that the government could consider buying troubled assets.
* The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> was down 26.76 points, or 0.32 percent, at 8,447.21. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> was down 3.44 points, or 0.40 percent, at 866.82. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> was down 3.25 points, or 0.21 percent, at 1,535.54.
(Editing by James Dalgleish)
