The markets opened flat with the Dow slipping 5 points to 25,024 as consumer spending edged up 0.2% in January. Nasdaq added a point to 7274.

On the upside

QEP (NYSE: QEP) reversed year ago losses to post a stronger than expected profit for the fourth quarter.

AmTrust Financial Services (Nasdaq: AFSI) will be taken private by Stone Point, chief executive Barry Zyskind, and the Karfunkel family in a deal valued at approximately $2.7 billion.

ILG (Nasdaq: ILG) reported sharply higher fourth quarter earnings that more than doubled.

On the downside

Colony NorthStar (NYSE: CLNS) widened fourth quarter losses.

Fourth quarter revenue slipped for Patterson Companies (Nasdaq: PDCO).

Box (NYSE: BOX) reported a loss for the fourth quarter and forecast fiscal 2019 revenue below expectations.

In the broad market, declining issues outpaced advancers by a margin of nearly 6 to 5 on the NYSE and by nearly 3 to 2 on Nasdaq. The broader S&P 500 plunged 30 points to 2,713. Bitcoin leaped $355 to $10,764.