US equity markets presented a mixed performance on Friday, closing with varied results after a day of fluctuating investor sentiment. The Dow Jones Industrial Average registered a gain of 0.51%, closing at 46,758.28 points by the end of trading in New York.
Earlier in the session, the broader S&P 500 edged slightly into positive territory, hovering around 6,715 points. However, the Nasdaq Composite, heavily weighted towards technology stocks, experienced a decline of 0.4%, closing near 24,785 points.
Market analysts attribute the uncertainty driving market activity to the ongoing US government shutdown. This situation has complicated the release and interpretation of key US employment data, adding to investor apprehension.
The Euro strengthened against the US dollar on Friday evening, trading at $1.1743. Consequently, the dollar was valued at €0.8516.
Precious metals saw a boost, with the price of gold climbing to $3,885 per fine ounce, representing a 0.7% increase. This equates to €106.36 per gram.
Crude oil prices also rose. Brent North Sea crude futures were priced at $64.37 per barrel, a 26-cent increase, or a 0.4% rise, compared to the previous day’s closing value.