US stock indexes edge higher in morning trading; oil slides

Utilities and real estate companies were among the biggest decliners.

Investors had their eye on Washington, where former FBI Director James Comey was testifying as part of a congressional investigation into Russia's possible election meddling.

Comey was testifying before Congress as part of the investigation into Russian meddling in the U.S. presidential election.

The testimony, Comey's first public statements since his May 9 dismissal, was likely to bring hours of uncomfortable attention to an administration shadowed for months by an investigation into ties between the Trump campaign and Russia.

Nordstrom surged 11.5 percent on news that the Nordstrom family are considering taking the troubled department store chain private.

Like Macy's and other big department store chains, Nordstrom has struggled to cope with competition from online retailers.

Vail Resorts fell 4.2 percent after the ski resort company's profit and sales came up short of analyst estimates.

In Asia, Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 index lost 0.3 percent, while South Korea's Kospi edged up 0.2 percent.