NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Stocks made modest gains early Monday as lower oil prices dampened concerns about the economic impact of high energy costs on consumer spending.

The Dow Jones industrial average (up 26.73 to 10,557.49, Charts) and the broader-based Standard & Poor's 500 (up 2.11 to 1,222.25, Charts) index both edged higher shortly after the market opened.

The Nasdaq composite (up 6.33 to 2,175.76, Charts) also rose modestly in the early going.

Unusually mild weather in the Northeast and other parts of the United States helped send oil prices below $60 in early trading Monday.

U.S. light crude oil for December delivery fell 68 cents to $59.90 a barrel.

In corporate news, medical device maker Guidant Corp. (down $2.96 to $55.96, Research) said it was suing Johnson & Johnson (down $0.59 to $60.29, Research) to force the completion of J&J's acquisition of Guidant.

Guidant also said its earnings from continuing operations fell nearly 60 percent in the third quarter to $65 million, or 20 cents a share.

Treasury prices rose, lowering the yield on the 10-year note to 4.63 percent from 4.66 percent late Friday. Treasury prices and yields move in opposite directions.

In currency trading, the dollar was mixed against the euro and the yen.

COMEX gold lost 10 cents to $457.80 an ounce.

In global trade, major Asian markets ended lower, and European shares were higher in early afternoon trading.