NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) - Stocks opened higher Monday morning, as investors expressed some optimism on day without economic readings.

The Dow (down 0.64 to 11,014.55, Charts) and the broader Standard & Poor's 500 index (down 4.62 to 1,251.54, Charts) both rose over 0.2 percent.

The tech-heavy Nasdaq composite (down 14.20 to 2,129.95, Charts) added 0.3 percent just after the open.

Atlanta Federal Reserve President Jack Guynn, one of the voting members of the Federal Open Market Committee which sets Fed rates, will speak at the Georgia Bankers Association convention later in the session. Comments by Fed officials have been closely watched for clues about the Federal Reserve's interest rate plans.

Investors will also be focused on key measures of home building strength and demand for big ticket items due later in the week.

In corporate news, Circuit City (unchanged at $29.48, Charts) posted a quarterly profit compared with a loss a year earlier, sending shares higher in early trade.

Vonage (unchanged at $9.60, Charts) shares sank after a unit of Verizon served the Internet phone service provider with a patent infringement lawsuit involving voice-over-Internet phone technology.

Switzerland's Nestle bought weight-loss company Jenny Craig for around $600 million, expanding its high-margin nutrition and health business. (Full story.)

Treasury prices were lower again Monday, lifting the yield on the benchmark 10-year note to 5.13 percent from the 5.12 percent level reached late Friday. The dollar was higher against the yen and the euro.

Oil prices fell 38 cents to $69.50 a barrel in electronic trading, snapping a three-day rising streak.

Major markets closed mostly lower Monday in Asia, while major European markets were higher in early trading after Nokia (Charts) and Siemens (Charts) agree to combine their telecom equipment units.