U.S. Stocks Staging Mixed Opening

Elsewhere, government-controlled mortgage firm Fannie Mae (FNM Quote) received notice from the New York Stock Exchange that it faces delisting if it can't keep its share price above $1.

In earnings news, bulk retailer BJ's Wholesale (BJ Quote) is set to release quarterly results ahead of the new session.

On the economic-data front, the Census Bureau is set to release its estimates for October building permits and housing starts. Also on tap are consumer-price figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and minutes from the Oct. 29 meeting of the Federal Reserve's Open Market Committee.

In the realm of commodities, crude oil was losing 34 cents to $54.05 a barrel. Gold was adding $3.60 to $736.30.

Longer-dated U.S. Treasury securities were rising in price. The 10-year note was adding 18/32 to yield 3.46%, and the 30-year was up 18/32, yielding 4.08%. The dollar was climbing vs. the yen but weakening against the euro and pound.

Overseas, the FTSE in London and the DAX in Frankfurt were both trading lower, and Japan's Nikkei and Hong Kong's Hang Seng closed with losses.