U.S. Stocks Open Higher As Crude Rally Boosts Energy Shares

U.S. stocks opened modestly higher on Wednesday, boosted as a 2% rise in crude oil prices lifted energy companies. While a read on private sector employment came in below expectations, a negative sign for the labor market, it was also seen as evidence that the Federal Reserve may not be too aggressive in raising interest rates. The Dow Jones Industrial Average [S: DJIA] rose 0.2%, or 54.37 points, to 18,227.07. The S&P 500 [S: SPX] rose 0.3%, or 5.35 points, to 2,155.88, with energy the top-performing sector. The Nasdaq Composite index [S: COMP] rose 0.3%, or 16.35 points, to 5,306.01.

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