U.S. stocks struggled for direction Friday with the Dow industrials finishing lower and the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq closing slightly higher as investors digested a weaker-than-expected payroll report, favoring sectors viewed as safe in economically uncertain times.

Asian shares fell on Monday Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi after he suffered a humiliating defeat in a referendum over constitutional reforms and investors eyed a growing spat between the incoming U.S. administration China.