Stock market today: Dow, S&P 500, Nasdaq diverge after jobs report, with Powell on deck
The major averages edged slightly lower on Friday following the release of a closely watched monthly jobs report awaited comments from Fed Chair Jerome Powell.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) fell 0.4%, while the S&P 500 (^GSPC) lost 0.3%. The tech-heavy Nasdaq (^IXIC) dropped after closing in correction territory on Thursday.
Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics released before the opening bell showed 151,000 new jobs were created in February, less than the 160,000 expected by economists. The unemployment rate jumped slightly from 4% to 4.1%.
Investors may receive some clues about how policymakers view the economy when Fed Chair Jerome Powell speaks on Friday at an economic conference.
Friday's stock market movement caps a volatile week as investors assess the economic impact of the Trump administration's efforts to trim government agencies while also implementing tariffs on imports.
On Thursday, President Trump announced additional goods and services from Mexico would be temporarily exempt from 25% levies imposed earlier in the week. The White House later said some Canadian imports would also receive an exemption until April 2.
This follows a one-month relief from tariffs for the Big Three US auto makers announced on Wednesday.
