Investing.com - U.S. stocks opened slightly higher on Monday, as Friday's upbeat U.S. employment data continued to support equities, despite growing expectations for the Federal Reserve to soon begin tapering its stimulus program.
During early U.S. trade, the Dow Jones Industrial Average inched up 0.01%, the S&P 500 index added 0.18%, while the Nasdaq Composite index gained 0.24%.
Friday’s U.S. nonfarm payrolls report showed that the economy added 203,000 jobs in November, well above expectations for jobs growth of 180,000. The unemployment rate fell to a five year low of 7.0%.
The data bolstered optimism over the outlook for the economic recovery and reinforced expectations that the Fed will start reducing its USD85 billion-a-month stimulus program at one of its next few meetings.
Gilead Sciences rallied 1.50% after the pharmaceutical company received approval for a hepatitis C pill that may generate more than USD6 billion in annual sales.
Adding to gains, Sysco shares soared 23.23% after the food-distribution company said it would pay about USD3.5 billion and take on about USD4.7 billion in debt to acquire competitor US Foods to form a company with about USD65 billion in annual revenue.
Meanwhile, McDonald's declined 0.76% after the fast-food chain reported softer-than-expected global sales at established restaurants for last month.
In the financial sector, Goldman Sachs edged down 0.10% after the U.S. lender was sued last week by Singaporean wealth-management client Oei Hong Leong over a USD34.3 million loss on Brazilian real-yen options trades he claimed the bank misled him into making.
Elsewhere, eight prominent technology companies, suffering by revelations of government spying on their customers, were reportedly mounting a public campaign to urge President Obama and Congress to set new limits on government surveillance.
Shares in Google and Microsoft, who were said to be leading the group, rose 0.20% and 0.05% at the open of the U.S. trading session.
Across the Atlantic, European stock markets were mixed to lower. The EURO STOXX 50 added 0.12%, France’s CAC 40 slipped 0.11%, Germany's DAX rose 0.25%, while Britain's FTSE 100 edged down 0.08%.
During the Asian trading session, Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index edged up 0.29%, while Japan’s Nikkei 225 Index surged 2.29%.
During early U.S. trade, the Dow Jones Industrial Average inched up 0.01%, the S&P 500 index added 0.18%, while the Nasdaq Composite index gained 0.24%.
Friday’s U.S. nonfarm payrolls report showed that the economy added 203,000 jobs in November, well above expectations for jobs growth of 180,000. The unemployment rate fell to a five year low of 7.0%.
The data bolstered optimism over the outlook for the economic recovery and reinforced expectations that the Fed will start reducing its USD85 billion-a-month stimulus program at one of its next few meetings.
Gilead Sciences rallied 1.50% after the pharmaceutical company received approval for a hepatitis C pill that may generate more than USD6 billion in annual sales.
Adding to gains, Sysco shares soared 23.23% after the food-distribution company said it would pay about USD3.5 billion and take on about USD4.7 billion in debt to acquire competitor US Foods to form a company with about USD65 billion in annual revenue.
Meanwhile, McDonald's declined 0.76% after the fast-food chain reported softer-than-expected global sales at established restaurants for last month.
In the financial sector, Goldman Sachs edged down 0.10% after the U.S. lender was sued last week by Singaporean wealth-management client Oei Hong Leong over a USD34.3 million loss on Brazilian real-yen options trades he claimed the bank misled him into making.
Elsewhere, eight prominent technology companies, suffering by revelations of government spying on their customers, were reportedly mounting a public campaign to urge President Obama and Congress to set new limits on government surveillance.
Shares in Google and Microsoft, who were said to be leading the group, rose 0.20% and 0.05% at the open of the U.S. trading session.
Across the Atlantic, European stock markets were mixed to lower. The EURO STOXX 50 added 0.12%, France’s CAC 40 slipped 0.11%, Germany's DAX rose 0.25%, while Britain's FTSE 100 edged down 0.08%.
During the Asian trading session, Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index edged up 0.29%, while Japan’s Nikkei 225 Index surged 2.29%.