Investing.com - U.S. stocks opened higher on Wednesday, after data showing that U.S. non-farm private employment rose at the weakest pace in six months in October added to expectations that the Federal Reserve will maintain its stimulus program this year.
During early U.S. trade, the Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.09%, the S&P 500 index edged up 0.07%, while the Nasdaq Composite index gained 0.42%.
Payroll processing firm ADP said in a report earlier that non-farm private employment rose by a seasonally adjusted 130,000 in October, below expectations for an increase of 150,000.
The previous month’s figure was revised down to a gain of 145,000 from a previously reported increase of 166,000.
Separately, the U.S. Department of Labor said that consumer prices rose by a seasonally adjusted 0.2% in September, meeting forecasts, after rising by 0.1% in August.
Consumer prices, excluding food and energy costs, inched up 0.1% in September, below forecasts for a 0.2% increase. Core consumer prices rose 0.1% in August.
The central bank was scheduled to conclude its two-day policy-meeting later Wednesday, with market analysts expecting policy-makers to keep stimulus unchanged in order to safeguard the faltering economic recovery.
In the financial sector, JPMorgan Chase shares were up 0.49% even as the U.S. lender's proposed terms to settle state and federal probes of its mortgage-bond sales were rejected by the Department of Justice this week.
Other U.S. banks added to gains, as Citigroup rose 0.30% and Bank of America edged up 0.23%, while Goldman Sachs gained 0.41%.
Among earnings, General Motors reported a better-than-expected quarterly profit, sending shares up 2.88%.
Comcast shares slipped 0.23% although the parent company of NBC Universal reported net income that topped expectations.
Also on the downside, LinkedIn Corp. plunged 3.62% after saying its quarterly sales outlook missed analysts’ estimates.
Elsewhere, Lockheed Martin Corp. climbed 0.42% after the Pentagon said the company's F-35 fighter is likely to be ready for expanded production in fiscal 2015.
Across the Atlantic, European stock markets were mixed. The EURO STOXX 50 fell 0.15%, France’s CAC 40 edged up 0.09%, Germany's DAX eased 0.07%, while Britain's FTSE 100 added 0.17%.
During the Asian trading session, Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index surged 2%, while Japan’s Nikkei 225 Index rallied 1.23%.
During early U.S. trade, the Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.09%, the S&P 500 index edged up 0.07%, while the Nasdaq Composite index gained 0.42%.
Payroll processing firm ADP said in a report earlier that non-farm private employment rose by a seasonally adjusted 130,000 in October, below expectations for an increase of 150,000.
The previous month’s figure was revised down to a gain of 145,000 from a previously reported increase of 166,000.
Separately, the U.S. Department of Labor said that consumer prices rose by a seasonally adjusted 0.2% in September, meeting forecasts, after rising by 0.1% in August.
Consumer prices, excluding food and energy costs, inched up 0.1% in September, below forecasts for a 0.2% increase. Core consumer prices rose 0.1% in August.
The central bank was scheduled to conclude its two-day policy-meeting later Wednesday, with market analysts expecting policy-makers to keep stimulus unchanged in order to safeguard the faltering economic recovery.
In the financial sector, JPMorgan Chase shares were up 0.49% even as the U.S. lender's proposed terms to settle state and federal probes of its mortgage-bond sales were rejected by the Department of Justice this week.
Other U.S. banks added to gains, as Citigroup rose 0.30% and Bank of America edged up 0.23%, while Goldman Sachs gained 0.41%.
Among earnings, General Motors reported a better-than-expected quarterly profit, sending shares up 2.88%.
Comcast shares slipped 0.23% although the parent company of NBC Universal reported net income that topped expectations.
Also on the downside, LinkedIn Corp. plunged 3.62% after saying its quarterly sales outlook missed analysts’ estimates.
Elsewhere, Lockheed Martin Corp. climbed 0.42% after the Pentagon said the company's F-35 fighter is likely to be ready for expanded production in fiscal 2015.
Across the Atlantic, European stock markets were mixed. The EURO STOXX 50 fell 0.15%, France’s CAC 40 edged up 0.09%, Germany's DAX eased 0.07%, while Britain's FTSE 100 added 0.17%.
During the Asian trading session, Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index surged 2%, while Japan’s Nikkei 225 Index rallied 1.23%.