US stocks open mixed after key inflation figures

By Ovunc Kutlu

ISTANBUL (AA) - US stocks opened mixed on Thursday after key inflation figures posted annual gains but showed some slowing in pace.

The Dow Jones decreased 184 points, or 0.53%, to 34,405 at 10:04 a.m. EDT (1504GMT).

The S&P 500, on the other hand, was almost flat by gaining just seven points, or 0.17%, to 4,087.

The tech-heavy Nasdaq added 42 points, or 0.37%, to 11,510.

The Dow was up 2.2% at the closing bell Wednesday, while the S&P 500 and Nasdaq rose 3.1% and 4.4%, respectively, after the Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell hinted smaller interest rate hikes could start later this month.

Core personal consumption expenditures (PCE) price index, however, posted an annual gain of 5% in October, according to data released earlier Thursday. The Fed's preferred and most reliable inflation indicator showed a slowdown from the annual increase of 5.2% in September.

On a monthly basis, the index gained 0.2% in October, also slowing in pace from a monthly increase of 0.5% in September.

The VIX volatility index, also known as the fear index, rose 0.6% to 20.70. The 10-year US Treasury yield shed 2.8% to 3.598%.

The dollar index fell 1.2% to 104.72, still around its highest in 20 years, while the euro gained 1% to $1.0506 against the greenback.

Precious metals posted strong gains as gold soared 1.8% to $1,800 per ounce and silver jumped 1.6% to $22.55.

Oil prices also showed strong increase. Global benchmark Brent crude was trading at $89.14 per barrel for a gain of 2.5%. US benchmark West Texas Intermediate crude was around $83.11, up 3.2%.