US stocks mildly positive during early trade

A day after the S&P 500 suffered its biggest percentage drop since Oct. 11 and over 100-points fall in the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA), major US equity indices witnessed a mildly positive opening on Thursday as investors digest mixed US economic data. 

Today's US economic data showed weekly jobless claims fell by 10,000 to 265K, having jumped to a six-month high level of 275K in the previous week. Meanwhile, the goods trade deficit unexpectedly widened in November to a seasonally adjusted $65.3 billion as compared to $61.5 billion deficit forecasted by economists.

In early trade, DJIA rose over 30-point to 19,865, while the broader S&P 500 Index advanced 4-points to 2,254. Meanwhile, tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index added 11-points to 5,450.

With only two trading session to go before the New Year, all the key benchmark indices remain on track to end the year with solid yearly gains. However, given the relentless rally in the past two-months, following Donald Trump's surprise victory in the US presidential election, thin trading volumes could aggravate any profit taking slide into a significant pull-back.