VGK - Asian Markets Close Lower Europe Up While Crude Oil And Gold Fall - Global Market Overview While The US Slept | Benzinga
On Friday, February 2nd, U.S. stock markets closed higher, driven by robust earnings and a strong January jobs report that bolstered economic confidence.
In economic data, January’s non-farm payrolls surged by 353,000, surpassing December’s revised 333,000 and expectations of 180,000. Unemployment held at 3.7%, beating forecasts of 3.8%, while average hourly earnings grew by 0.6%, exceeding the prior 0.4% and the expected 0.3%.
Among the 11 S&P 500 sector indexes, six recorded gains, with communication services topping the list, closely followed by consumer discretionary.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 0.35% and closed at 38,654.42, ...