The stock exchanges in New York were opened on Thursday with small pluses. Investors on Wall Street focus primarily on trade talks between the United States and China. On the financial markets, it is hoped that the two economic superpowers can close a partial trade deal.

Shortly after the start, the Dow-Jones index scored a fraction higher at 26,353 points. The broad S&P 500 won 0.1 percent to 2921 points and the technology level meter Nasdaq rose 0.2 percent to 7915 points.

A Chinese delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister Liu He has arrived in Washington for consultations with US finance minister Steven Mnuchin and trade envoy Robert Lighthizer. It is the first time since July that the US and China are again conducting high-level consultations.

Sources told the Bloomberg news agency that the White House would be willing to make a deal with China on currency policy as part of a partial trade agreement. The Americans would refrain from import tariffs that have to start next week. In addition, President Donald Trump would have given permission to some American companies to do business with the Chinese technology concern Huawei, which was previously blacklisted by Washington.

The companies pay attention to the Delta Air Lines quarterly report. In addition, the outlook turned out to be weaker than expected. The share lost 4.6 percent. Other airline companies such as American Airlines and United Airlines lost up to 1.4 percent. Also food producer Hormel Foods (minus 0.8 percent) and steel group U.S.. Steel (plus 1.1 percent) opened the books. The manufacturer of Cisco Systems network equipment was in the red for 2 percent after a recommendation reduction by Goldman Sachs.