US open: Mixed start to trading as Russia-Ukraine conflict remains in focus
Wall Street trading got off to a mixed start on Friday as the S&P 500 looked set to try and extend its recent rally yet another day.
As of 1525 GMT, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 0.36% at 34,358.20, while the S&P 500 was 0.08% firmer at 4,415.40 and the Nasdaq Composite came out the gate 0.78% stronger at 13,720.55.
The Dow opened 122.56 points lower on Friday, taking a bite out of gains recorded in the previous session as investors digested the Federal Reserve's interest rate decision, jobless claims data, and news out of Russia and Ukraine.
The Russia-Ukraine conflict was again in focus after the opening bell on Friday after multiple missiles struck an aircraft repair centre on the edge Lviv in western Ukraine, while a Ukrainian official revealed that one person was killed in an airstrike that hit the nation's capital of Kyiv.
President Joe Biden will speak with Chinese president Xi Jinping to discuss the ongoing conflict later in the day.
Rising Covid cases in Europe stemming from an emerging subvariant were also drawing an amount of investor attention in early trading. Covid cases have increased sharply in the UK over recent weeks, while Germany continued to report record high daily infections, with more than 250,000 new cases a day. France, Switzerland, Italy, and the Netherlands have also seen Covid infections start to rise due to the relaxation of safety measures and BA.2 Omicron subvariant.
On the macro front, the Conference Board's leading index increased by 0.3% in February to 119.9, following a 0.5% drop in January and a 0.8% uptick in December.
Elsewhere, existing home sales sank 7% month-on-month to 6.02m in February, according to the National Association of Realtors, below market forecasts for a print of 6.1m for the lowest reading in six months.
No major corporate earnings were slated for release on Friday.
Dow Jones - Risers
Nike Inc. (NKE) $130.05 2.07%
Boeing Co. (BA) $191.83 0.86%
Apple Inc. (AAPL) $161.90 0.80%
Salesforce.Com Inc. (CRM) $211.91 0.71%
American Express Co. (AXP) $188.03 0.57%
Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) $296.77 0.53%
Visa Inc. (V) $214.54 0.51%
Walt Disney Co. (DIS) $139.92 0.32%
Merck & Co. Inc. (MRK) $79.06 0.15%
Walmart Inc. (WMT) $145.08 0.05%
Dow Jones - Fallers
Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. (WBA) $46.73 -1.58%
Travelers Company Inc. (TRV) $178.36 -1.47%
3M Co. (MMM) $145.80 -1.28%
Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) $174.66 -1.21%
Home Depot Inc. (HD) $332.60 -1.12%
JP Morgan Chase & Co. (JPM) $138.69 -1.04%
Caterpillar Inc. (CAT) $219.46 -1.01%
Dow Chemical Co. (DOW) $62.24 -0.95%
Unitedhealth Group Inc. (UNH) $502.53 -0.89%
Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ) $51.90 -0.88%
S&P 500 - Risers
Nvidia Corp. (NVDA) $261.47 5.58%
Align Technology Inc. (ALGN) $440.39 3.50%
NortonLifeLock Inc. (NLOK) $26.74 3.12%
Twitter Inc (TWTR) $38.31 2.72%
Wynn Resorts Ltd. (WYNN) $78.79 2.44%
Take-Two Interactive Software Inc. (TTWO) $152.88 2.26%
Meta Platforms Inc. (FB) $212.26 2.13%
Nike Inc. (NKE) $130.05 2.07%
CF Industries Holdings Inc. (CF) $94.11 2.07%
Synopsys Inc. (SNPS) $310.20 2.02%
S&P 500 - Fallers
FedEx Corp. (FDX) $218.30 -4.25%
Whirlpool Corp. (WHR) $188.37 -3.63%
Arconic Inc. (ARNC) $24.55 -3.52%
O'Reilly Automotive Inc. (ORLY) $677.97 -3.33%
Fluor Corp. (FLR) $27.96 -3.22%
Zions Bancorporation (ZION) $66.25 -3.06%
Regions Financial Corp. (RF) $22.61 -2.84%
Truist Financial Corp. (TFC) $57.19 -2.80%
Jefferies Financial Group Inc. (JEF) $32.21 -2.77%
Cincinnati Financial Corp. (CINF) $128.68 -2.71%
Nasdaq 100 - Risers
Trip.com Group Limited (TCOM) $23.59 5.74%
Nvidia Corp. (NVDA) $261.47 5.58%
JD.com, Inc. (JD) $65.20 5.26%
NetEase Inc. Ads (NTES) $88.18 3.62%
Baidu Inc. (BIDU) $152.44 3.59%
Align Technology Inc. (ALGN) $440.39 3.50%
NortonLifeLock Inc. (NLOK) $26.74 3.12%
Tesla Inc (TSLA) $895.73 2.77%
Wynn Resorts Ltd. (WYNN) $78.79 2.44%
Take-Two Interactive Software Inc. (TTWO) $152.88 2.26%
Nasdaq 100 - Fallers
O'Reilly Automotive Inc. (ORLY) $677.97 -3.33%
PACCAR Inc. (PCAR) $87.98 -2.54%
Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. (WBA) $46.73 -1.58%
Charter Communications Inc. (CHTR) $569.87 -1.35%
Mondelez International Inc. (MDLZ) $61.45 -1.32%
Qurate Retail Inc. (QRTEA) $5.08 -1.17%
Kraft Heinz Co. (KHC) $37.33 -1.11%
T-Mobile Us, Inc. (TMUS) $127.55 -1.09%
Liberty Global plc Series A (LBTYA) $25.10 -1.06%
Hasbro Inc (HAS) $88.72 -1.06%