US stocks finished with modest gains after the government reported a sharp drop in the unemployment rate. Information technology companies led stocks higher.
The Labour Department said that the unemployment rate dropped to 9% in January, the lowest rate since April 2009. But in a separate survey, the government said 36,000 new jobs were created last month, the fewest in four months.
The Dow Jones industrial average rose 30 points, or 0.2%, to close at 12,092. The S&P 500 index rose 3 points, or 0.3%, to 1,310. The Nasdaq gained 15 points, or 0.6%, to 2,769.
Falling shares outnumbered rising ones by a small margin on the New York Stock Exchange. Preliminary trading volume was 912 million shares.
Discover more from London Glossy Post
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
