Equity futures were pointing to a mixed open to trading following the monthly jobs report.
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U.S. employers added 304,000 jobs Opens a New Window. in January, soaring past Wall Street Opens a New Window. ’s expectations for an increase of 165,000 jobs Opens a New Window. , after investors braced for mixed results as a result of the 35-day partial federal government shutdown.
Dow Jones futures rose 0.3 percent. The S&P 500 added 0.2 percent and the Nasdaq Composite was off 0.3 percent.
The unemployment rate climbed to 4 percent from 3.9 percent, while the labor force participation rate rose slightly to 63.2 percent. Average hourly earnings, meanwhile, rose by 3 cents to $27.56. Over the year, average hourly earnings have increased by a total of 85 cents, or about 3.2 percent.
Amazon shares bounced around in after-hours trading on Thursday after the e-commerce giant reported better-than-expected revenue and earnings in its crucial holiday quarter, but a lukewarm sales forecast tempered the market’s reaction.
Honeywell International Inc on Friday reported a better-than-expected quarterly profit and forecast full-year earnings in a range that was largely above analysts’ estimates, as the company benefited from robust demand for aircraft parts.
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U.S. drugmaker Merck & Co on Friday reported quarterly profit that edged past estimates, helped by strong demand for its blockbuster cancer treatment Keytruda. The company, however, forecast muted 2019 revenue and earnings, joining major drugmakers such as Amgen Inc and Pfizer Inc that forecast disappointing profits for the year.
In Asian markets on Friday, Chinese shares rose ahead of the week-long Lunar New Year holidays.
China’s Shanghai composite was up 1.3 percent on the day and ended 0.6 percent higher for the week.
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index eased less than 0.1 percent on the day and gained 1.3 percent for the week.
Japan’s Nikkei average ended just 0.07 percent higher on the session, but for the week dropped 0.1 percent.
In Europe, London’s FTSE edged up 0.2 percent, Germany’s DAX slipped 0.2 percent and France’s CAC was off 0.1 percent.
| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | %Chg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I:DJI | DOW JONES AVERAGES | 25066.64 | +66.97 | +0.27% |
| SP500 | S&P 500 | 2704.1 | +23.05 | +0.86% |
| I:COMP | NASDAQ COMPOSITE INDEX | 7281.7372 | +98.66 | +1.37% |
Stocks closed higher Thursday as quarterly results from Facebook and General Electric helped the market close out one of the strongest Januarys in decades.
Both the blue-chip Dow Jones Industrial Average and the S&P 500 booked their best January in 30 years.
General Electric reported a profit for the fourth quarter, bouncing back from a loss in the year-ago period. Revenue rose 5 percent to $33.28 billion, topping the Wall Street estimate of $32.6 billion.
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Facebook posted a record quarterly profit despite a slew of negative headlines during the period.
In economic news, the number of Americans filing applications for unemployment benefits surged to near a 1-1/2-year high last week, which could raise concerns that the labor market is slowing.
