US stocks close with losses before release of key jobs data

ISTANBUL

US stocks closed Thursday with losses, one day before the release of key jobs data.

The Dow was down almost 10 points, or 0.03%, to finish the session at 33,119, and the S&P 500 was 5.5 points in the red, or 0.13%, to 4,258.

The Nasdaq, meanwhile, lost 16 points, or 0.12%, to end the day at 13,219.

The US economy added 187,000 jobs in August, higher than estimates, but unemployment jumped to 3.8%. Figures for September will be released Friday before the stock market opening. The expectation for job gains is 170,000 and the unemployment rate is expected to fall to 3.7%.

The VIX volatility index, also known as the fear index, fell 0.5% to 18.49. The 10-year US Treasury yield was down 0.4% at 4.716%.

The dollar index shed 0.42% to 106.35, while the euro increased 0.45% to $1.0551 against the greenback.

Precious metals were in negative territory, with gold trimming 0.06% to $1,821 an ounce and silver falling 0.17% to $20.97.

Oil prices fell almost 2%, with global benchmark Brent crude at $84.27 per barrel and US benchmark West Texas Intermediate at $82.56.