US Markets Open Friday: Shares Higher On China Trade Hopes

Markets were higher at the open Friday on Wall Street as investors shrugged off political turmoil and pinned hopes on an early resolution to the trade war with China.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up nearly 10 points or 0.04% at at 29,900.81 while the S&P 500 was off 5 points at 2,971.71 or 0.2%, and the Nasdaq Composit was off 35 points or 0.44% at 7,994.67.

Wells Fargo (WFC) was up at the open on news of a new CEO appointment. Charles Scharf, chairman and CEO of Bank of New York Mellon, will take the helm Oct. 21.

Consumer spending ticked up just 0.1% in August, with a slowdown in spending and restaurants and hotels tamping down increased outlays on recreational goods and motor vehicles. Data for July also was revised, showing pending increased just 0.5%, down from the previously reported 0.6%.

J.D. Power predicted a 15% decrease in new-vehicle sales for September. Overall third-quarter sales are flat compared with a year ago but prices are protected to set a record, averaging $33,321, up 4% from last year.

“The large decline in sales this month is driven primarily by the timing of the Labor Day holiday,” Thomas King, senior vice president of data and analytics, said in a press release. “Unlike most years, sales from the Labor Day holiday weekend were included in August sales reporting instead of September. With close to 250,000 new vehicles sold during the holiday weekend, the exclusion from September reporting is significant."

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Friday the trade war with the United States can be resolved as long as both sides show goodwill and cut back on pessimistic language.

“If everyone does this, I believe the [trade] talks will not only resume but move forward,” Wang told reporters.

A new round of high-level talks are set to begin in Washington in less than two weeks, ahead of new U.S. tariffs scheduled to kick in Oct. 15.

The Hong Kong government announced a plan to give eight months of free training to 10,000 jobless and underemployed workers to ease escalating anti-government protests. Training courses will cover 19 sectors, including tourism and retail.

European Union head Jean-Claude Juncker said Friday Britain will be solely to blame for a no-deal Brexit. Juncker said the latest proposal for keeping the border open between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland still wanting.

Juncker told the German newspaper Augsburger Allegemeine the EU is doing “everything we can to reach an agreement. If this fails in the end, the responsibility lies solely with the British side.”

The U.K. has said it will not leave Northern Ireland behind in the EU, nor can the rest of the United Kingdom be trapped in the economic alliance.

EU diplomats say the UK has seven days to propose a solution to give the alliance time to evaluate the issues before a scheduled Oct. 17 meeting.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who lost his bid to keep Parliament out of session until just days before the EU negotiating session, clashed with lawmakers in his effort to force elections. Johnson called Labour’s bill delaying the Oct. 31 Brexit deadline a “surrender bill,” infuriating the opposition.

Johnson has been adamant about meeting the Oct. 31 deadline, with or without a deal, despite predicted disruptions to the economy.

Global markets were mixed. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index closed 0.33% lower while Japan’s Nikkei 225 was off 0.77%. China’s Shanghai Composite was up 0.11% and Australia’s S&P/ASX added 0.58%.

European markets closed higher. London’s FTSE 100 gained 1.02%, Germany’s Dax added 0.75% and the French CAC was up 0.36%.

The British pound was off 0.13% while the euro gained 0.2% and the U.S. dollar index was off 0.0e%.

Oil futures were lower. Crude oil dropped to $56.17 a barrel or 1.46%. Brent crude fell to $61.13 a barred or 0.99%. Gold and silver were lower.