Investing.com - U.S. stocks opened lower on Friday, as markets were jittery ahead of U.S. consumer sentiment data expected later in the trading session, amid ongoing uncertainty over the future of the Federal Reserve's stimulus program.
During early U.S. trade, the Dow Jones Industrial Average retreated 0.45%, the S&P 500 index dropped 0.42%, while the Nasdaq Composite index shed 0.27%.
The release of mixed U.S. data on initial jobless claims and durable goods orders on Thursday fuelled fresh uncertainty over whether the Fed will start to scale back its bond buying program later this year.
The Labor Department said the number of individuals filing for initial jobless benefits last week increased by 7,000 to a seasonally adjusted 343,000, compared to expectations for an increase of 6,000 to 340,000.
The Commerce Department said orders for long lasting manufactured goods rose by a seasonally adjusted 4.2% in June, compared to expectations for an increase of 1.3%, while vore durable goods orders, which exclude volatile transportation items, were flat in June, compared to expectations for a 0.5% increase.
In the tech sector, Apple dropped 0.61%, following reports the company's share of the global smartphone market fell to its lowest in three years in the second quarter as more consumers chose inexpensive handsets from Chinese makers over the iPhone.
In earnings news, Amazon plummeted 2.50% after the Internet retail giant reported an unexpected loss and issued a cautious current-quarter forecast.
Adding to losses, Zynga sank 17.15% after the social video game maker handed in current-quarter guidance that widely missed market estimates.
On the upside, Starbucks surged 6.39% after topping earnings expectations. The coffeehouse chain also boosted its full-year guidance as its new menu offerings helped drive customer traffic.
Other stocks likely to be in focus included Tyco, scheduled to post results later in the day.
Across the Atlantic, European stock markets were mixed. The EURO STOXX 50 added 0.10%, France’s CAC 40 rose 0.37%, Germany's DAX retreated 0.68%, while Britain's FTSE 100 slid 0.35%.
During the Asian trading session, Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index rose 0.31%, while Japan’s Nikkei 225 Index plunged 2.97%.
Later in the day, the U.S. was to produce revised data on consumer sentiment from the University of Michigan.
During early U.S. trade, the Dow Jones Industrial Average retreated 0.45%, the S&P 500 index dropped 0.42%, while the Nasdaq Composite index shed 0.27%.
The release of mixed U.S. data on initial jobless claims and durable goods orders on Thursday fuelled fresh uncertainty over whether the Fed will start to scale back its bond buying program later this year.
The Labor Department said the number of individuals filing for initial jobless benefits last week increased by 7,000 to a seasonally adjusted 343,000, compared to expectations for an increase of 6,000 to 340,000.
The Commerce Department said orders for long lasting manufactured goods rose by a seasonally adjusted 4.2% in June, compared to expectations for an increase of 1.3%, while vore durable goods orders, which exclude volatile transportation items, were flat in June, compared to expectations for a 0.5% increase.
In the tech sector, Apple dropped 0.61%, following reports the company's share of the global smartphone market fell to its lowest in three years in the second quarter as more consumers chose inexpensive handsets from Chinese makers over the iPhone.
In earnings news, Amazon plummeted 2.50% after the Internet retail giant reported an unexpected loss and issued a cautious current-quarter forecast.
Adding to losses, Zynga sank 17.15% after the social video game maker handed in current-quarter guidance that widely missed market estimates.
On the upside, Starbucks surged 6.39% after topping earnings expectations. The coffeehouse chain also boosted its full-year guidance as its new menu offerings helped drive customer traffic.
Other stocks likely to be in focus included Tyco, scheduled to post results later in the day.
Across the Atlantic, European stock markets were mixed. The EURO STOXX 50 added 0.10%, France’s CAC 40 rose 0.37%, Germany's DAX retreated 0.68%, while Britain's FTSE 100 slid 0.35%.
During the Asian trading session, Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index rose 0.31%, while Japan’s Nikkei 225 Index plunged 2.97%.
Later in the day, the U.S. was to produce revised data on consumer sentiment from the University of Michigan.