Turning to US data, US jobless claims rose to their highest level since late 2021, and higher than expected given layoffs in the tech and banking sectors.
On Thursday, the US Department of Labor said new jobless claims for the first time rose by 22,000 to a seasonally adjusted level of 264,000 in the week ending May 6, the highest figure since October 2021.
Economists polled by Reuters had forecast 245,000 claims last week.
But markets are still worried about the outcome of the difficult negotiations between the White House and Republican members of Congress over raising the debt ceiling, with their failure so far to reach an agreement, which has prompted US President Joe Biden warned that the United States defaulting on its debts will push the country into recession, and it will have devastating repercussions for the global economy.
On the contrary, and in startling statements, former US President Donald Trump called on Republican lawmakers to allow the United States to default on its debt if Democrats did not agree to cut spending.
market performance
The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 147.44 points, or 0.44%, at the market open to 33,383.89 points.
The Standard & Poor’s 500 index fell 5.40 points, or 0.13%, to 4,132.24 points. While the Nasdaq Composite Index opened trading up 14.82 points, or 0.12%, at 12,321.26 points.
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