A stronger-than-expected September jobs report fueled gains on Wall Street, overshadowing investor concerns that had been driven by escalating geopolitical tensions in the Middle East earlier this week.
The U.S. economy added 254,000 nonfarm payroll jobs in September, a significant jump from August's 159,000 and well above forecasts of 140,000. This marked the most robust employment growth since March 2024.
In addition, the unemployment rate dropped more than anticipated to 4.1%, while average hourly earnings also surpassed expectations, signaling a red-hot labor market.
Small-cap stocks outpaced their large-cap peers as worries about an economic slowdown subsided further. Meanwhile, traders adjusted their outlook for the Federal Reserve's November meeting, reducing the probability of a 50-basis-point rate cut from 30% to just 10% as the stronger jobs data diminished the need for a more aggressive policy move.
U.S. Treasury yields rose sharply in response to the solid labor market data. The 2-year yield climbed by 20 basis points, while the 10-year yield increased by 12 basis points.
Chinese equities continued their upward trajectory, driven by ongoing domestic stimulus measures. The iShares China Large-Cap ETF (NYSE:FXI) reached levels last seen in February 2022, just before Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Gold dipped 0.3% as the U.S. dollar strengthened and bond yields climbed. Oil prices extended their rally for the fourth consecutive session, with WTI crude hitting $75 per barrel during intraday trading.
Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) surged 2.2%, climbing to $62,000.
Friday’s Performance In Major US Indices, ETFs
According to Benzinga Pro data:
Friday’s Stock Movers
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