US markets today: Wall Street opens higher; investors brace for jobs, inflation data

Wall Street opened the new week on a cautious positive note on Monday, with investors positioning themselves ahead of a heavy slate of economic data that could influence interest-rate expectations and market direction.In early trade, the S&P 500 rose 0.3%, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained about 150 points, or 0.3%. The Nasdaq Composite advanced 0.4%, stabilising after last week’s sharp sell-off in technology and artificial intelligence-linked stocks, AP reported.Shares of Nvidia, which had been among the hardest hit during the recent AI-led correction, recovered modestly, rising around 1.5%. The broader tech space showed signs of consolidation after volatility triggered by concerns over heavy capital spending and stretched valuations.Markets are now firmly focused on key US macro data due this week. The government is set to release its delayed November jobs report on Tuesday, followed by consumer inflation numbers on Thursday. Both are expected to shape expectations around the Federal Reserve’s interest-rate path and broader risk sentiment.Asian markets largely ended lower as investors digested mixed economic signals and prepared for a potential interest-rate hike by the Bank of Japan later this week.Japan’s Nikkei 225 fell 1.3% to 50,168.11, despite a quarterly Bank of Japan “tankan” survey showing an improvement in sentiment among large manufacturers. Analysts said optimism around lower US tariffs on Japanese exports has helped exporters, but expectations of a 25-basis-point rate hike have weighed on risk assets.Bitcoin slid sharply as traders anticipated higher Japanese rates, briefly dropping below $88,000 before recovering to near $90,000.Chinese markets also declined after fresh data showed persistent weakness in domestic demand. Investment in fixed assets fell 2.6% year-on-year in November, while retail sales and industrial output growth remained modest. The Shanghai Composite slipped 0.6%, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng dropped 1.3%.Elsewhere in Asia, South Korea’s Kospi fell 1.8%, Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 eased 0.7%, and Taiwan’s benchmark declined 1.2%. India’s Sensex was largely flat in subdued trade.European markets, however, opened higher. Germany’s DAX rose 0.3%, France’s CAC 40 gained 0.8%, and Britain’s FTSE 100 advanced 0.6%, tracking US futures that pointed to a positive start.In commodities, US benchmark crude oil inched up to around $57.50 per barrel, while Brent crude traded near $61.20. Currency markets saw the US dollar weaken slightly against the yen, while the euro edged higher.Last week, US equities had come under pressure, with the S&P 500 recording its worst session in three weeks. Sharp declines in AI-heavyweights such as Broadcom and Oracle, despite strong earnings, had rattled investor confidence and triggered broader profit-taking.