Dow Up 17 as Jobs Stats Stall Stocks

Unemployment rate holds at 9.7%

(NEWSER) - A better-than-expected jobs report fueled a rally in stocks to close out the week. Nonfarm payrolls fell by 36,000 in February, far less than the predicted level of 75,000, the Wall Street Journal reports.

• The Dow gained 122.06 points to close at 10,566.20.
• The Nasdaq picked up 334.04, settling at 2,326.35.
• The S&P 500 added 15.72, closing at 1,138.69.

Dow off 170 midday on European credit woes

(NEWSER) - Stocks regained their opening levels after severe losses that saw the Dow off 170 points at midday today. Despite better-than-expected US employment figures, worries about the creditworthiness of some troubled European nations exerted downward pressure on stocks, the Wall Street Journal reports.

• The Dow Jones closed up 10.05 points at 10,012.23.
• The Nasdaq gained 15.69 to close at 2,141.12.
• The S&P 500 added 3.07 to settle at 1,066.18.

Stocks make gains for first trading week of 2010

(NEWSER) - Stocks spent most of the day down modestly but pulled up sharply at the close, as traders proved relatively unmoved by disappointing December unemployment figures, the Wall Street Journal reports.

• The Dow rose 11.33 points to close at 10,618.19.
• The Nasdaq added 17.12, closing at 2,317.17.
• The S&P 500 gained 3.29 to settle at 1,144.98.

Indices post declines for the week

(NEWSER) - Traders focused on positive aspects of today's August unemployment report—declining job losses—rather than the upward revision in total jobless numbers, sending stocks higher, the Wall Street Journal reports. General Electric led advancing stocks on the Dow with a 3.35% gain. The Dow rose 96.66 points to close at 9,441.27. The Nasdaq added 33.38, settling at 2,018.78, and the S&P 500 gained 13.16 to settle at 1,016.40. More»

(NEWSER) - Stocks posted losses today, soured all session by worse-than-expected June employment data, the Wall Street Journal reports. With unemployment up a tenth of a percent to 9.5% and wages remaining stagnant, investors have little to be optimistic about. The Dow lost 223.32 to settle at 8,280.74. The Nadsaq dropped 49.20, hitting 1,796.52, and the S&P 500 fell 26.90 to close at 896.43. More»