BREAKING NEWS: US economy adds 151,000 jobs in February while unemployment rate ticks up
LIVE Updated 3 mins ago
Stock market today: Dow, S&P 500, Nasdaq futures edge up after jobs report, with Powell on deck
Updated Fri, Mar 7, 2025, 8:46 AM 2 min read
In This Article:
NQ=F +0.42%
ES=F +0.21%
YM=F +0.05%
US stock futures ticked higher on Friday as Wall Street assessed the crucial monthly jobs report amid market uncertainty driven by President Donald Trump’s volatile trade policy. Dow Jones Industrial Average futures (YM=F) were up 0.1%, while S&P 500 futures (ES=F) gained 0.3%. Contracts on the tech-heavy Nasdaq (NQ=F) were up 0.5% after closing in correction territory on Thursday.
US nonfarm-payrolls added 151,000 jobs last month, slightly less than the 160,000 expected by economists, while the unemployment rate ticked up from 4% to 4.1%. The stakes were high for February’s job report later on Friday, as stocks flounder amid fears of weakening economic growth. Downbeat economic data has boosted bets on interest rate cuts this year. Markets are also looking to Chair Jerome Powell to throw some light on the Federal Reserve’s thinking on Trump’s tariffs and the risk of stagflation when he speaks on Friday morning. His comments will be among the last from Fed officials before their March 18-19 policy meeting.
Trade-war worries are still keeping markets on edge. Trump paused tariffs on most goods from Mexico and Canada until April, but the news didn’t provide any relief for stocks on Thursday. Canada responded with a matching delay in its second wave of retaliatory duties, while Mexico has yet to react. However, Mexico has begun reviewing its China tariffs, which could prove a win with Trump.
Meanwhile, bitcoin (BTC-USD) fell below $90,000, pulling back from this week’s rally after Trump authorized the creation of a strategic US bitcoin reserve ahead of his “crypto summit” on Friday.
On the earnings front, Broadcom’s stock (AVGO) jumped in premarket after the US chipmaker issued a strong second-quarter forecast, seen as a positive sign for AI demand.
LIVE 6 updates
13 mins ago
February jobs report: US labor market adds 151,000 jobs, unemployment rate ticks up to 4.1%
The US labor market added fewer jobs than forecast in February while the unemployment rate ticked higher amid increasing investor fears over the trajectory of the economy. Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics released Friday showed 151,000 new jobs were created in February, less than the 160,000 expected by economists and higher than the 125,000 seen in January. The unemployment rate rose to 4.1% from 4% in the prior month. January’s monthly job gains were revised lower from a previous reading of 143,000.
59 mins ago
Walgreens stock pops as retailer nails its exit from market
Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA) shares jumped almost 7% before the bell on news the drugstore giant is preparing to exit the public markets. The company has sealed its go-private deal with Sycamore, worth up to $23.7 billion, following months of negotiations with the PE firm.
Today at 12:45 PM UTC
It’s retailers’ turn to be ‘resilient’: Morning Brief
In recent weeks, retailers Walmart (WMT), Target (TGT), Best Buy (BBY), and, most recently, Abercrombie & Fitch (ANF) have spooked investors after they warned about profit pressures and price hikes resulting from tariffs.
Today at 12:01 PM UTC
Broadcom stock jumps as outlook eases AI worries
Shares of Broadcom (AVGO) rose over 11% in premarket trading, set for a rebound as investors welcomed the US chipmaker’s strong second-quarter sales forecast. The Apple supplier’s outlook helped revive some faith in Big Tech demand for AI chips after rival Marvell’s (MRVL) downbeat earnings helped drive losses among semiconductor stocks on Thursday. “Given the anxiety about AI conditions in general, these results should come as a relief,” Morgan Stanley analysts said, per Reuters.
Today at 9:51 AM UTC
Jobs report expected to show hiring uptick, unemployment steady
The February jobs report is expected to show hiring picked up in February, while the
Leave a Reply