US stocks open higher after strong GDP figure

By Ovunc Kutlu

ISTANBUL (AA) - US stocks opened Thursday with gains after a strong gross domestic product (GDP) figure.

The Dow was up 103 points, or 0.29%, to 35,623 at 9.34 a.m. EDT (1334GMT). The blue-chip index posted a 13-day winning streak Wednesday, the longest since January 1987.

The S&P 500 added 39 points, or 0.84%, to 4,605. The Nasdaq soared 210 points, or 1.49%, to 14,337.

The American economy expanded 2.4% in the second quarter, according to the Commerce Department's first reading that was released earlier.

The expectation for the figure was for it to come in at 1.8%, while the US economy grew 2% in the first quarter.

The VIX volatility index, also known as the fear index, fell 1.9% to 12.94. The 10-year US Treasury yield, meanwhile, added 1.5% to 3.909%.

The dollar index increased 0.56% to 101.46, while the euro trimmed 0.7% to $1.1008 against the greenback.

Precious metals were in negative territory, with gold losing 1.2% to $1,949 per ounce and silver plummeting 2.7% to $24.26.

Oil prices were up around 0.4%, with global benchmark Brent crude at $82.82 per barrel and US benchmark West Texas Intermediate at $79.22.