US open: Stocks higher as White House avoids shutdown

(Sharecast News) - Major indices were in the green early on Friday in what has otherwise been a losing week for the blue-chip Dow Jones. As of 1445 GMT, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 0.80% at 41,140.14, while the S&P 500 advanced 1.11% to 5,582.94 and the Nasdaq Composite came out the gate 1.39% firmer at 17,543.45.

The Dow opened 326.57 points higher on Friday, taking a bite out of losses record in the previous session as the S&P 500 was dragged into correction territory for the year, joining the Nasdaq.

Stocks traded higher on the back of news that a Federal government shutdown had been avoided after Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer said he wouldn't stand in the way of a Republican funding bill.

However, major indices were all more than 4% lower for the week as Donald Trump's seemingly random tariff policies continued to foster uncertainty and market volatility. Despite early gains, the Dow Jones was on track for its worst weekly performance since June 2022.

On the macro front, a preliminary reading of the University of Michigan's consumer sentiment index showed a drop to 57.9 in March, down 10.5% month-on-month and well and truly below estimates for a reading of 63.2. While the current conditions index slipped just 3.3%, future expectations slumped 15.3% month-on-month and a whopping 30% year-on-year.

Elsewhere, the yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note was almost three basis points higher at 4.301%, while its two-year counterpart was up a little over two basis points at 4.004%.

Reporting by Iain Gilbert at Sharecast.com

Dow Jones - Risers

JP Morgan Chase & Co. (JPM) $230.16 2.21% American Express Co. (AXP) $261.77 2.08% Dow Chemical Co. (DOW) $36.90 1.85% Intel Corp. (INTC) $24.14 1.84% 3M Co. (MMM) $148.57 1.69% Caterpillar Inc. (CAT) $337.79 1.34% Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (GS) $531.84 1.34% Chevron Corp. (CVX) $155.25 1.07% Walt Disney Co. (DIS) $97.86 1.02% Travelers Company Inc. (TRV) $258.00 0.80%

Dow Jones - Fallers

Coca-Cola Co. (KO) $68.89 -1.04% Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ) $43.26 -1.04% Merck & Co. Inc. (MRK) $93.92 -0.84% Procter & Gamble Co. (PG) $167.43 -0.69% Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) $162.00 -0.61% Home Depot Inc. (HD) $345.68 -0.45% Walmart Inc. (WMT) $84.37 -0.15% Amgen Inc. (AMGN) $312.22 -0.13% Nike Inc. (NKE) $72.57 -0.09% Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. (WBA) $11.26 0.00%

S&P 500 - Risers

Ulta Salon, Cosmetics & Fragrance Inc. (ULTA) $343.41 9.20% Crown Castle International (CCI) $101.97 7.24% Micron Technology Inc. (MU) $100.61 6.03% Celanese Corp. (CE) $56.01 5.50% Charles Schwab Corp. (SCHW) $77.17 4.98% Western Digital Corp. (WDC) $44.04 4.78% Nvidia Corp. (NVDA) $120.04 3.86% MGM Resorts International (MGM) $31.23 3.55% Ipg Photonics Corp. (IPGP) $61.55 3.43% Lam Research Corp. (LRCX) $77.83 3.41%

S&P 500 - Fallers

Macy's Inc. (M) $13.14 -3.70% Abbott Laboratories (ABT) $126.48 -2.63% Gap Inc. (GAP) $20.23 -2.55% Dollar General Corp (DG) $78.47 -1.85% Kohls Corp. (KSS) $8.07 -1.72% J.B. Hunt Transport Services Inc. (JBHT) $147.17 -1.51% Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMY) $59.38 -1.49% Under Armour Inc. Class A (UAA) $6.95 -1.49% Dollar Tree Inc (DLTR) $65.07 -1.41% Digital Realty Trust (DLR) $144.15 -1.23%

Nasdaq 100 - Risers

Ulta Salon, Cosmetics & Fragrance Inc. (ULTA) $343.41 9.20% Micron Technology Inc. (MU) $100.61 6.03% Western Digital Corp. (WDC) $44.04 4.78% JD.com, Inc. (JD) $43.07 4.44% Nvidia Corp. (NVDA) $120.04 3.86% Lam Research Corp. (LRCX) $77.83 3.41% Trip.com Group Limited (TCOM) $62.80 3.29% KLA-Tencor Corp. (KLAC) $701.96 3.00% Wynn Resorts Ltd. (WYNN) $85.71 2.99% Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. (CHKP) $221.19 2.93%

Nasdaq 100 - Fallers

Qvc Group Inc Series A (QVCGA) $0.21 -4.32% J.B. Hunt Transport Services Inc. (JBHT) $147.17 -1.51% T-Mobile Us, Inc. (TMUS) $255.19 -1.51% Dollar Tree Inc (DLTR) $65.07 -1.41% Biomarin Pharmaceutical Inc. (BMRN) $69.94 -0.93% American Airlines Group (AAL) $10.59 -0.78% Gilead Sciences Inc. (GILD) $112.91 -0.39% Verisk Analytics Inc. (VRSK) $288.45 -0.36% Henry Schein Inc. (HSIC) $69.63 -0.27% Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. (REGN) $679.00 -0.24%