US stocks mixed despite strong private payrolls

By Ovunc Kutlu

ANKARA (AA) - Major indices in the US stock market opened mixed Wednesday despite strong private payrolls data.

The Dow Jones industrial average was up by only 2 points to 36,801 at 9.56 a.m. EDT.

The S&P 500, however, fell 4 points, or 0.1%, to 4,788 and the Nasdaq lost 70 points, or 0.45%, 15,552.

US private payrolls rose 807,000 in December, from the previous month, according to the ADP Research Institute earlier Wednesday. The market expectation was a 400,000 increase.

The VIX volatility index was up 0.35% to 16.97.

The dollar index, on the other hand, fell 0.34% to 95.93, while the yield on 10-year US Treasury notes lost 0.8% to 1.653%.

Precious metals were on the rise, with gold adding 0.6% to $1,825 per ounce and silver increasing 0.5% to $23.17.

Crude prices gained more than 1.5% with Brent crude trading at $81.23 per barrel and US benchmark West Texas Intermediate at $78.17.