US markets slide early

U.S. stocks retreated Monday morning after stocks tumbled in China, where the rate of economic expansion remains under scrutiny. Although the Chinese economy continues to grow, during the weekend Premier Wen Jiabao warned that economic hardships in China were not over. The remarks sent Chinese stocks down 1.74 percent on the Shanghai composite index. In early morning trading in New York, the Dow Jones industrial average lost 54.23 points, or 0.47 percent, to 12,717.18. The Nasdaq composite was off by 9.25, or 0.32 percent, to 2,899.22. The Standard & Poor's 500 index shed 3.69, or 0.27 percent, to 1,353.09. The benchmark 10-year U.S. treasury note rose 12/32 to yield 1,452 percent. The euro dropped to $1.2239 against the U.S. dollar from Friday's $1.2248. Against the yen, the dollar fell to 78.75 from Friday's 79.20. In Japan, markets were closed for a holiday.