Stocks opened lower on Monday as investors assessed the potential strength of an economic recovery, while energy shares were pressured as a stronger U.S. dollar hurt oil prices.

The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> dropped 65.07 points, or 0.76 percent, to 8,474.66. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> fell 10.05 points, or 1.09 percent, to 911.18. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> lost 18.48 points, or 1.01 percent, to 1,808.99.

(Reporting by Rodrigo Campos; editing by Jeffrey Benkoe)