US stocks open Friday higher after ending 2-year streak

By Ovunc Kutlu

ISTANBUL (AA) - US stock exchanges opened Friday higher, a day after ending their longest winning streak in two years.

The S&P 500 was up 18 points, or 0.42%, to 4,365 points at 9.43 a.m. EDT, after it snapped its eight-day streak on Thursday's closing.

The tech-heavy Nasdaq rose 92 points, or 0.69%, to 13,613. In previous session, the tech-heavy index put an end to nine consecutive days of gains.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average, meanwhile, increased 126 points, or 0.37%, to 34,017 at the time.

The VIX volatility index, also known as the fear index, was down 3% to 14.82. The 10-year US Treasury yield lost 0.9% to 4.589%.

The dollar index was steady at 105.89, while the euro rose 0.15% to $1.0682 against the greenback.

Precious metals were in negative territory, with gold losing 0.7% to $1,944 an ounce and silver trimming 1.2% to $22.35.

Oil prices increased more than 1.4%, with global benchmark Brent crude at $81.14 per barrel and US benchmark West Texas Intermediate crude at $76.79.