News24
21 May 2020, 19:42 GMT+10
Wall Street stocks edged higher early Thursday in volatile trading following another high US jobless claims report and as US-China friction rises, sharpening concerns of another trade war.
About 15 minutes into trading, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 0.3% at 24 660.66 after opening in the red.
The broad-based S&P 500 also added 0.2% at 2 976.78, while the tech-rich Nasdaq Composite Index rose 0.3 percent to 9 403.66.
The Labor Department reported that another 2.43 million US workers applied for unemployment benefits last week, bringing the total since mid-March to a massive 38.6 million following coronavirus shutdowns.
After bottoming out in March as much of the US economy suddenly shut down, stocks have mostly risen in April and May as Washington has enacted aggressive stimulus measures.
But investors increasingly view tensions between Washington and Beijing as a risk to stocks in the coming months, as US President Donald Trump loudly blames China for the coronavirus outbreak that has claimed more than 90,000 American lives.
Beijing's latest response came a day after Trump blamed China for "mass worldwide killing" in a tweet.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told a press briefing, "We have persisted in speaking the truth, presenting the truth and speaking with reason, doing our utmost to protect the lives and health of the people."
Get a daily dose of South America Times news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to South America Times.
More InformationATLANTA, Georgia: The United States is facing its worst measles outbreak in more than three decades, with 1,288 confirmed cases so...
In the past month alone, 23 Israeli soldiers have been killed in Gaza—three more than the number of remaining living hostages held...
LONDON, U.K.: At least 13 people are believed to have taken their own lives as a result of the U.K.'s Post Office scandal, in which...
WASHINGTON, D.C.: Travelers at U.S. airports will no longer need to remove their shoes during security screenings, Department of Homeland...
WASHINGTON, D.C.: An elaborate impersonation scheme involving artificial intelligence targeted senior U.S. and foreign officials in...
SLUBICE, Poland: Poland reinstated border controls with Germany and Lithuania on July 7, following Germany's earlier reintroduction...
Kingston [Jamaica], July 12 (ANI): Australia's Test captain Pat Cummins is set to sit out next month's white-ball series against South...
(Photo credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images) Hunter Goodman scored the tiebreaking run on a wild pitch in the eighth inning, and the...
Secretary of State Marco Rubio linked the new restrictions to the 2021 unrest in Havana ...
New Delhi [India], July 12 (ANI): The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has released its annual report for 2024, highlighting India's...
(Photo credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images) Australia's Cameron Smith and England's Lee Westwood were in a five-way tie for the lead...
(Photo credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images) American Chris Gotterup delivered a course-record 9-under-par 61 to take a two-shot...