Major US shares start Tuesday’s session lower

(MENAFN) On Tuesday, major US stock exchanges opened lower, reflecting a cautious market sentiment. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell by 71 points, or 0.16 percent, reaching 41,168 by 10:01 a.m. EDT (1401 GMT). Similarly, the S&P 500 declined by seven points, or 0.14 percent, to 5,609, while the Nasdaq Composite dropped 45 points, or 0.26 percent, settling at 17,680. This downward movement indicates a broadly negative start to the trading day across the major indices.

The VIX volatility index, often referred to as the "fear index" for its reflection of market uncertainty, rose by 1.3 percent to 16.36. This increase suggests a heightened sense of caution among investors. Additionally, the yield on the 10-year US Treasury bond climbed by 1.2 percent to 3.865 percent, reflecting adjustments in fixed-income markets amid shifting economic expectations.

The US dollar index experienced a slight decrease of 0.1 percent, moving to 100.77. In contrast, the euro edged up by 0.04 percent against the dollar, trading at USD1.1166. This minor shift in currency values highlights ongoing fluctuations in the foreign exchange markets as investors adjust their positions.

In the commodities sector, precious metals recorded losses, with gold falling 0.3 percent to USD2,510 per ounce and silver declining by 0.1 percent to USD28.88 per ounce. Oil prices also saw a decrease of approximately 1 percent, with Brent crude, the global benchmark, trading at USD79.66 per barrel and West Texas Intermediate, the US benchmark, at USD76.56 per barrel. These movements in commodity prices reflect broader market trends and investor sentiment.

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