Stocks off to a mixed start despite gains in tech sector
Stocks are off to a mixed start on Wall Street as gains for technology companies are checked by losses in banks, industrial companies and other sectors. The S&P 500 was little changed in the first few minutes of trading Wednesday, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq was up less than 0.1%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was flitting between small gains and losses, and the Russell 2000, which tracks smaller companies, was down 0.2%. Zoom Video Communications was up 0.5% after reporting another strong quarter of results. European indexes were modestly higher and Asian markets closed mostly lower. Treasury yields slipped.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.
TOKYO (AP) — Global shares were mixed on Wednesday after Wall Street reopened from the Memorial Day holiday on a lackluster note.
France's CAC 40 edged up 0.1% to 6,496.01, while Germany's DAX added nearly 0.2% to 15,592.32. Britain's FTSE 100 rose 0.3% to 7,101.57. U.S. shares were set to be mixed with Dow futures inching up less than 0.1% to 34,561.0. S&P 500 futures slipped nearly 0.1% to 4,195.62.
Market players are looking ahead to U.S. jobs data, which are also likely to show growth. They’re also keeping an eye on comments by Federal Reserve officials on inflation, a concern overhanging markets as economies regain momentum with the rollout of coronavirus vaccines, especially in the United States.
In Asian trading, Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 added 0.5% to finish at 28,946.14. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 jumped 1.1% to 7,217.80. South Korea's Kospi rose nearly 0.1% to 3,224.23. Hong Kong's Hang Seng lost 0.6% to 29,297.62, while the Shanghai Composite dropped 0.8% to 3,597.14.
India's Sensex declined 0.7%. Shares rose in Jakarta, were little changed in Taiwan, but fell in...