NEW YORK, Oct 6 — Wall Street stocks opened lower today, extending a period of volatility amid worries over inflation and congressional gridlock on raising the debt ceiling.
After slumping Monday and rallying yesterday, stocks were back in the red despite data showing the US private sector added a better-than-expected 568,000 jobs last month. Investors remain unsettled by the debate in Washington, where Republicans have thus far opposed efforts to raise the debt ceiling despite the risk of a US government default.About 20 minutes into trading the Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 0.8 per cent at 34,036.46.
The broad-based S&P 500 shed 0.7 per cent to 4,314.63, while the tech-rich Nasdaq Composite Index declined 0.5 per cent to 14,360.42. — AFP