New Delhi, March 9 -- Wall Street's key stock indices recovered much of an early loss on Monday, as soaring oil prices heightened inflation worries amid the raging Middle East conflict.

As of 1:04 p.m. Eastern Time, the S&P 500 fell 0.3%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 0.7%, and the Nasdaq Composite gained 0.1%.

As of 11:30 a.m. Eastern Time, the S&P 500 fell 0.5%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 0.8%, and the Nasdaq Composite was 0.1% lower.

As of 9:35 a.m. Eastern Time, the S&P 500 fell 1%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 1.2%, and the Nasdaq Composite was 0.8% lower.

At the start of Monday, the cost of a barrel of Brent crude, the global benchmark, momentarily hit $119.50. If petroleum costs remain el...