Low Jobs Numbers Turns Market Green | Wall Street Today

Friday, the market was green. The FOMC no-change decision Wednesday helped start a green wave that Thursday's Apple earnings and Friday's low jobs numbers pushed higher.

For the week, the $S&P 500 Index (.SPX.US)$ grew 0.55%, and +1.26% on Friday. The $Dow Jones Industrial Average (.DJI.US)$ climbed 1.14% for the week, and +1.18% Friday, and the $Nasdaq Composite Index (.IXIC.US)$ climbed 1.43% for the week and 1.99% Friday.

The $USD (USDindex.FX)$ fell heavily against all major trade partner currencies in early North American trade on Friday after the non-farm payrolls, hourly earnings and unemployment figures all missed expectations for April.

As a weekly rap up, the biggest news came Wednesday when the Federal Open Market Committee left the target Federal Funds Rate unchanged at 5.25%-5.50%. Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell said it's unlikely that policymakers will increase interest rates, even though he acknowledged that bringing inflation down to their 2% target remains uncertain.

At the end of the week, the $U.S. 2-Year Treasury Notes Yield (US2Y.BD)$ fell to 4.81, the $U.S. 10-Year Treasury Notes Yield (US10Y.BD)$ fell to 4.50.

Friday, $Amgen (AMGN.US)$'s stock soared 17% toward its biggest gain in 15 years, adding more than 220 points to the Dow's price and leading the S&P and Nasdaq 100 after the drug manufacturer posted adjusted earnings above expectations and executives said they are "very encouraged" by preliminary data from a trial of an injectable weight-loss drug 'MariTide.'

$苹果 (AAPL.US)$rose by 7% after the company reported a decline in revenue but still exceeded analysts' projections and announced a $110 billion stock buyback program.

$Cloudflare (NET.US)$ dropped 16% after positive results, with an unchanged 2024 outlook that disappointed most investors. $Expedia (EXPE.US)$ slipped 15% after the company issued lower-than-expected guidance, while its Vrbo segment was a loss leader.

After months of M&A talks, $Paramount Global-B (PARA.US)$ and controlling shareholder Shari Redstone might be going it alone after all, according to a Variety report that sent the stock lower 5%.