US: Dow, S&P 500 open at records with strong data

ANKARA

The Dow Jones and the S&P 500 opened on Thursday at record highs with each gaining around 1%.

Strong macroeconomic data and company earnings provided confidence for investors amid economic recovery.

The Dow rose to an all-time high of 33,981 with Microsoft adding 1.3% and Coca-Cola rising 0.7%. The S&P 500 rose to a record of 4,155.

Nasdaq jumped 145 points, or 1%, to 14,000 at 9.45 a.m. EDT (1345GMT) with Apple, Netflix, Amazon, and Zoom Video all adding more than 1% apiece.

After Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan posted record earnings in the first quarter on Wednesday, Bank of America and Citigroup announced on Thursday increases in net incomes.

US jobless claims sank to their lowest since March 2020 and retail sales climbed to their highest level since last May, creating optimism for investors.

The activity pushed the VIX volatility index to 16.67 for a 1.7% loss.