Royal Dutch Petroleum Company President Jeroen van der Veer speaks during an interview after ringing the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange on August 3, 2004. Van der Veer visited the NYSE to mark the 50th anniversary of the listing of the company. U.S. Stocks opened lower on Tuesday, bogged down by high oil prices and data showing a larger-than-expected fall in consumer spending. In late morning trading the Dow Jones industrial average was off 21 points at 10,158. REUTERS/Peter Morgan PM