Stocks slip as European protests worsen debt fears

NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks are opening lower as a wave of protests against austerity measures in Europe bring new worries about the region’s financial system.

The dollar fell further against other currencies on anticipation of more action by the Federal Reserve to push U.S. interest rates down. Gold continued to climb past $1,300.

Demonstrators gathered in Brussels, Spain and Ireland to protest spending cuts they say penalize average workers for debt problems caused by big banks.

In the opening minutes of trading, the Dow Jones industrial average fell 18, or 0.2 percent, to 10,840.

The S&P 500 index slipped 3, or 0.3 percent, to 1,145, and the Nasdaq composite fell 4, or 0.2 percent, to 2,376.