Market Commentary and Intraday News

Stocks higher, looking to end skid

265 days ago

(AP:NEW YORK) Stocks are opening higher after five straight declines for the Standard & Poor's 500 index.

Just after the opening bell, the Dow Jones industrial average is up 55 points at 13,468. The S&P is up six at 1,439. And the Nasdaq composite index is up 10 points at 3,103.

The number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits fell 26,000 last week to 359,000, the lowest figure in nine weeks. A figure consistently below 375,000 is generally enough to lower the unemployment rate.

Stocks finished higher in Asia and are mostly higher in Europe.

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