(Adds Cerus, Isis, Conatus, Stereotaxis) (For faster updates on individual market-movers, Eikon usersplease use search string "STXBZ US"; for the Day Aheadnewsletter, http://link.reuters.com/mex49s; for the Morning NewsCall newsletter, http://link.reuters.com/nex49s)
U.S. stocks opened lower on Monday as volume returned to marketsafter the New Year holiday, with energy shares sliding again ascrude prices fell to fresh 5-1/2 year lows. The Dow Jonesindustrial average was down 0.77 percent at 17,695.17,the S&P 500 was down 0.79 percent at 2,041.85 and theNasdaq Composite was down 26.28 points, or 0.56 percent,to 4,700.54
** STEREOTAXIS INC, $2.0623, +33.92 pct
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the medicaldevice maker's catheter device, Vdrive with catheter advancementsystem, for sale in the country.
The company also received an approval from JapanPharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency for Odyssey datamanagement products.
** CONATUS PHARMACEUTICALS INC, $10.7391, +32.75pct
The biotechnology company said it would present results fromthree clinical trials of its lead drug Emricasan on Thursday.Conatus said it would present results from a mid-stage study ofthe drug in patients with acute-on-chronic liver failure.
** CERUS CORP, $6.7599, +3.76 pct
The biomedical product maker said red blood cells treatedwith its Intercept Blood System for acute anemia incardiovascular surgery patients met the main goal in an Europeanlate-stage trial.
** ISIS PHARMACEUTICALS INC, $63.13, +2.53 pct
Johnson & Johnson will pay the biotech company up to$835 million for an option to license three drugs targetingautoimmune diseases in the bowel.
** BRAINSTORM CELL THERAPEUTICS INC, $5.768, -23.09pct
The Israeli stem cell therapy developer's stock rose 93percent in past two trading days as data on mid-stage study ofthe company's stem cell therapy in patients with amytrophiclateral sclerosis is expected on Monday.
** ROYAL DUTCH SHELL PLC, $64.44, -3.79 pct
** TOTAL SA, $48.58, -5.04 pct
** BP PLC, $36.31, -4.75 pct
** STATOIL ASA, $16.62, -4.59 pct
** VALE SA, $7.61, -4.16 pct
** BHP BILLITON LTD, $45.86, -3.53 pct
** EXXON MOBIL CORP, $91.46, -1.48 pct
** CHEVRON CORP, $110.18, -2.13 pct
** PETROBRAS SA, $6.24, -7.69 pct
U.S.-listed stocks of the world's biggest oil and gasproducers were down premarket after oil prices dropped to freshfive-and-a-half-year lows. Oil prices have been dipping onconcerns over a surplus of global supplies and lacklusterdemand, losing more than half their value since a peak in Junelast year.
** CEMPRA INC, $24.86, +8.61 pct
The antibiotic drug developer moved a step closer toapproval of its lead antibiotic, solithromycin, after an oralversion of the potential blockbuster met the main goal in alate-stage trial.
** NATIONAL BANK OF GREECE SA, $1.7, -7.61 pct
Political uncertainty in Greece may force the EuropeanCentral Bank to start quantitative easing as debate around thepossibility of elections later this month resulting in thecountry leaving the euro zone picked up again.
Euro fell to $1.18605 in early Asian trading onMonday, its weakest level since March 2006.
** BREITBURN ENERGY PARTNERS LP, $7.52, -1.44 pct
The oil and gas company said on Friday it expected 2015production of 19.5-20.7 million barrels of oil equivalent (boe),up from an estimated 14.1 million boe for 2014. Breitburnforecast oil and gas capital expenses to fall to $200 million in2015 from an estimated $375 million in 2014.
** NOVARTIS AG, $92.94, +0.75 pct
** AMGEN INC, $157.39, -1.56 pct
Staff at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration are expectedto review Novartis' application to market a copycatversion of Amgen's biotech medicine Neupogen in patients withlow white blood cell counts.
** MICROSOFT CORP, $46.69, -0.15 pct
** YAHOO INC, $49.7975, -0.74 pct
Yahoo and Microsoft search engines temporarily went dark onFriday after Microsoft pushed out a bad code update and thenstruggled to roll it back, a person briefed on the outages toldReuters.
** NVIDIA CORP, $20.08, -0.25 pct
The chipmaker on Sunday unveiled a new processor aimed atpowering high-end graphics on car dashboards as well assophisticated auto-pilot systems.
** CINEMARK HOLDINGS INC, $34.31, -1.72 pct
The movie theater chain's shares could rise more than 25percent over the next year, Barron's reported in its Jan. 5edition.
** DREAMWORKS ANIMATION SKG INC, $22.5074, -0.63 pct
The Hollywood movie studio said it has appointed newco-presidents of feature animation, while its chief creativeofficer is stepping down.
** NTT DOCOMO INC, $14.49, -1.09 pct
The company said it has asked a London court toensure Tata Sons Ltd finds a buyer willing to pay atleast $1.1 billion for the Japanese carrier's stake in astruggling Indian joint venture. (Compiled by Lehar Maan; Editing by Joyjeet Das)
BP (BP.)
