US stock indices opened mixed on Friday, a day after Walmart’s dour forecast hit sentiment, while UnitedHealth slid after a report that the US Justice Department is investigating the healthcare conglomerate.
At the opening bell, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 356.5 points, or 0.81%, to 43820.13. The S&P 500 fell 3.4 points, or 0.06%, to 6114.1, while the Nasdaq Composite rose 44.3 points, or 0.22%, to 20006.693.
Oil prices fell on Friday as uncertainty looms over a potential peace deal in Ukraine.
Brent futures slipped by 90 cents, or 1.2 per cent, to $75.58 a barrel by 1423 GMT while US West Texas Intermediate crude lost 96 cents, or 1.3 per cent, to $71.52.
Gold prices eased on Friday as investors booked profits from the previous session’s record high.
Spot gold shed 0.3 per cent to $2,930.85 an ounce as of 10:07 am ET (1507 GMT). US gold futures fell 0.4 per cent to $2,945.20.
Spot silver was down 0.6 per cent at $32.74 an ounce
