Dow S&P 500 finish at break-even levels in Harvey's wake; Nasdaq logs a gain

U.S. stocks closed Monday trade little changed, with gains in health-care and technology stocks offsetting losses for energy and financials as investors watched the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey that has left parts of the Houston-area underwater. The Dow Jones Industrial Average DJIA, -0.02% closed flat at 21,808. Shares of insurance giant Travelers Cos. Inc., TRV, -2.56% traded lower in the aftermath of the storm, taking a toll on the blue-chip gauge. The S&P 500 index SPX, +0.05% ended the session in the green but with a slight gain of 1.18 point, or less than 0.1%, at 2,444. The health-care sector rose 0.6%, posting the day's best gain among the broad-market index's 11 sectors, while energy and financials led losses, down 0.5% a piece. The Nasdaq Composite Index COMP, +0.28% meanwhile, posted the best performance among the three main U.S. equity benchmarks, up 0.3% at 6,283. Crude-oil prices were in focus as the now-Tropical storm Harvey continued to buffet the Gulf Coast region , a substantial energy refining hub for U.S. crude products, with heavy rains. October West Texas Intermediate crude :CLV7 fell $1.30, or 2.7%, to settle at $46.57 a barrel. Meanwhile, September gasoline RBU7, +3.50% climbed 4.6 cents, or 2.7%, to $1.712 a gallon-- the highest finish for a front-month contract since April 17. Crude products saw prices sink as the devastating storm saps demand from refineries but puts gasoline prices higher demand.