NEW YORK: US stocks opened lower Wednesday as turmoil across North Africa and the Middle East and fears of spreading radiation from Japan's hobbled nuclear plant weighed down on the markets.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 19.34 (0.16 percent) to 11,999.29 in opening trades.

The Broad-based S&P 500 ceded 4.57 points (0.35 percent) to 1,289.20, while the Nasdaq index fell 9.61 (0.36 percent) to 2,674.26.

"Japan -- which warned of dangerous levels of radioactive iodine in Tokyo's tap water -- and Libya (are) likely to remain in the Street's crosshairs," said Andrea Kramer of Schaeffer's Investment Research.

"In addition, traders will be taking their cues from the latest round of earnings reports, as well as a round of housing data expected to hit the Street just after the open."