NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stocks were little changed in a lightly traded session on Monday, with investors limiting bets ahead of what could be a drawn-out battle over the "fiscal cliff."

Based on the latest available data, the Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> was up 2.54 points, or 0.02 percent, at 12,817.93. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> was up 0.19 point, or 0.01 percent, at 1,380.04. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> was down 0.62 point, or 0.02 percent, at 2,904.25.

(Reporting By Caroline Valetkevitch; Editing by Kenneth Barry)