US stocks open higher after private payrolls come lower than estimate

ISTANBUL

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.