DStv Channel 403 Friday, 20 December 2024

S&P, Nasdaq hit new highs after 'Goldilocks' US jobs report

NEW YORK - The Nasdaq and the S&P hit fresh records on Friday after the November US jobs report came in better than expected, with the Dow edging down.

The world's biggest economy gained 227,000 jobs in November, up from a revised 36,000 in October, according to the Department of Labor.

"It's kind of being viewed as a Goldilocks jobs print," Tom Cahill from Ventura Wealth Management told AFP.

"The jobs market is cooling, there's no question about that, but it's still relatively healthy," he added.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average finished lower, shedding 0.3 percent to close at 44,642.52.

The S&P rose 0.3 percent to close at a new record of 6,090.27, and the Nasdaq Composite climbed 0.8 percent to finish at a fresh high of 19,859.77.

It was a good day for tech titans, with Amazon and Facebook owner Meta closing up 2.9 percent and 2.4 percent respectively.

UnitedHealthcare's shares fell 5.1 percent after the markets digested the news that its chief executive had been killed in a shooting in New York in the early hours of Wednesday.

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