U.S. stocks open slightly lower Thursday. Latest data show that initial claims for unemployment benefits last week rose to a high of more than two months, so investors a sense of concern on the job market again.
EST at 09:35 on January 13, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 5.60 points to 11,749.84 points, down 0.05%; the Nasdaq composite index fell 3.48 points to 2,733.85 points, down 0.13%; the S & P 500 Index fell 0.17 points to 1,285.79 points, down 0.01%.
The Labor Department reported that initial claims for unemployment benefits last week, surged 3.5 million to 44.5 million. A government official attributed the delay in the administrative report. In addition, the data show that in December producer price index rose 1.1%, the U.S. November trade deficit fell 0.3% to 38.3 billion U.S. dollars.
Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke will be a seminar for small business credit a speech.
European stock markets rose yesterday after the current mostly lower. Pan-European Dow Jones Stoxx 600 index fell 0.5%. Spanish stock index rose 2.4% against the market trend, BBVA rose nearly 7%. Spanish government issued a 30 billion euro (3.9 billion) of 5-year bonds, but this issue than the cost of interest payments has increased during November. Italy also successfully issued bonds.