Stocks end lower as oil price rebounds

Stocks fell Monday — the Nasdaq taking a 1%-plus pounding — as the price of oil pulled out of a free fall.

The Dow Jones industrial average, S&P 500 and Nasdaq composite ended down by 0.3%, 0.7% and 1.3%, respectively. The blue-chip Dow settled at 17,776.80, a loss of 51 points.

The price of a barrel of crude oil on the New York Mercantile Exchange is up 4.9% to $69.48, after taking a huge 10% plunge Friday.

U.S. factories were slightly less busy in November, as production and hiring slowed, though the level of activity remained strong.

Earlier sales, more online shopping and a mixed economy meant fewer Americans showed up to shop over Thanksgiving weekend, the National Retail Federation said Sunday. The trade group estimated that total spending for the weekend totaled $50.9 billion, down 11% from last year.

Major retail stocks slumped.

European shares traded lower. Britain's FTSE is off 1%.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng index plunged 2.6% as police used pepper spray and clubs against protesters demanding democratic reforms in the semi-autonomous Chinese territory.

In Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 index rose 0.8%. After markets closed there on Monday, Moody's downgraded Japan's sovereign debt.

In mainland China, a manufacturing survey showed activity weakened in November, adding to signs an economic slowdown is deepening. The Shanghai composite index traded flat.

Wall Street stocks ended mostly lower Friday.

Large numbers of online shoppers were expected to purchase goods on Monday during so-called Cyber Monday, but fewer were expected than last year.

Contributing:The Associated Press