US stocks open higher after private payrolls come lower than estimate

By Ovunc Kutlu

ISTANBUL (AA) - US stock exchanges opened Wednesday after private payrolls came lower than market estimates.

The Dow Jones was up 82 points, or 0.23%, to 36,206 at 9.37 a.m. EDT. The S&P 500 added 16 points, or 0.35%, to 4,584.

The Nasdaq, meanwhile, increased 52 points, or 0.37%, to 14,282.

US private payrolls rose by 103,000 in November, much less than the market estimate of 130,000 jobs. The figure for October was also revised down from a gain of 133,000 to 106,000.

The VIX volatility index, also known as the fear index, was down 0.3% to 12.81. The 10-year US Treasury yield dove 0.6% to 4.145%.

The dollar index decreased 0.1% to 103.94, while the euro added 0.02% to $1.0798 against the greenback.

Despite losses in the past days, precious metals resumed their recent rally, with gold adding 0.7% to $2,033 per ounce and silver increasing 0.3% to $24.23.

Oil prices were down around 2%, with global benchmark Brent crude at $75.76 per barrel and US benchmark West Texas Intermediate crude at $70.77.