Stocks are up with modest gains after a sluggish start, but overall action has been rather dull in the absence of data and any meaningful corporate announcements.
Still, the market lacked direction for the first hour.
For the second straight session energy stocks are out in front. The sector currently sports a 0.5% gain. Some of that has been helped by higher oil prices, which were most recently quoted with a 0.8% gain at $87.05 per barrel.