The devastating earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan on Friday weighed the markets down to a lower open with the Dow dropping 62 points to 11,982 as analysts assessed the damage to the world's third largest economy. Nasdaq tumbled 15 points to 2700.
On the upside
Shares of Star Scientific (Nasdaq: CIGX) continued rising after the U. S. Patent and Trademark Office upheld two of the tobacco company's patents on Friday.
Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway will acquire Lubrizol (NYSE: LZ) in an all cash deal valued at approximately $9.7 billion.
A second explosion at a nuclear power plant in Japan lifted shares of solar stocks Trina Solar (NYSE: TSL) and LDK Solar (NYSE: LDK) on speculation that the Japanese government may seek alternative energy sources.
On the downside