(index / closing price / change items /% change)

Nikkei +354.83 21824.03 +1.65%

TOPIX +25.82 1741.30 +1.51%

Hang Seng +598.12 31594.33 +1.93%

CSI 300 +18.80 4127.67 +0.46%

Euro Stoxx 50 +8.94 3429.48 +0.26%

FTSE 100 -9.75 7214.76 -0.13%

DAX +71.71 12418.39 +0.58%

CAC 40 +2.31 5276.71 +0.04%

DJIA -157.13 25178.61 -0.62%

S&P 500 -3.55 2783.02 -0.13%

NASDAQ +27.51 7588.32 +0.36%

S&P/TSX +26.98 15604.79 +0.17%

Major US stock indexes ended the session in different directions: Dow and S & P 500 fell slightly, and the growth of chipmakers and technology giants helped Nasdaq grow moderately.

Investors remained focused Friday on the US labor market, which showed that employment growth accelerated in February, registering the largest increase in more than 1.5 years, while the growth rate of wages has slowed. If the slowdown in the rate of growth of wages will ease inflationary pressures, the Fed may reduce the rate of tightening its monetary policy. Now the markets expect at least three rate hikes this year, and the nearest one may happen next week.

Meanwhile, today's report from the Conference Board showed that the US employment trends index, which is a combination of labor market indicators, improved sharply in February after rising in January. According to the data, the February index of employment trends jumped to 107.74 points compared to 106.50 points in January. This change represents an increase in the index by 5.6 percent compared to the same period in 2017. "The index of employment trends in February accelerated, indicating that in the coming months a strong increase in employment is likely to continue," said Gad Levanon, chief economist for North America in the Conference Board. "The 6-month growth rate of the index is the highest since 2014. The stable level of unemployment in recent months is a statistical illusion.The labor market is becoming tougher and with such a strong increase in employment, further reduction in the unemployment rate is almost guaranteed. "

Most components of the DOW index recorded a decline (18 of 30). Outsider were shares of The Boeing Company (BA, -2.53%). The leader of growth was the shares of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (GS, + 1.24%).

Most sectors of S & P completed the auction in positive territory. The utilities sector grew most (+ 0.5%). The sector of industrial goods showed the greatest decrease (-0.8%).

At closing:

Dow -0.62% 25,178.61 -157.13

Nasdaq + 0.36% 7,588.32 +27.51

S & P -0.13% 2.783.02 -3.55

U.S. stock-index futures rose on Monday, building on gains from Friday's employment situation report that cooled fears of rising inflation and faster interest rate hikes.

Global Stocks:

Nikkei 21,824.03 +354.83 +1.65%

Hang Seng 31,594.33 +598.12 +1.93%

Shanghai 3,326.33 +19.16 +0.58%

S&P/ASX 5,996.10 +32.90 +0.55%

FTSE 7,213.58 -10.93 -0.15%

CAC 5,282.23 +7.83 +0.15%

DAX 12,410.57 +63.89 +0.52%

Crude $61.49 (-0,89%)

Gold $1,318.80 (-0.39%)

(company / ticker / price / change ($/%) / volume)

Barrick Gold (ABX) upgraded to Outperform from Sector Perform at RBC Capital Mkts

Merck (MRK) upgraded to Outperform from Mkt Perform at Leerink Partners

Most European stocks ended a choppy session higher on Friday, getting a boost from the U.S. where the main indexes rallied after better-than-expected labor market data. German stocks, however, trailed the rest of Europe after data on the country's exports and factory output indicated a slow start in activity at the start of 2018.

Nine years ago, on March 9, 2009, when the S&P 500 SPX, +1.74% bottomed at 676.53 following 15 months of precipitous declines, the current bull market in U.S. stocks was born. Since then, the market has gained nearly 350% including dividends. Despite the recent volatility, the bull has not shown serious signs of retiring.

Asia-Pacific stock markets were strongly higher Monday, building on a late-week rebound for the region's equities. Many markets rose at least 1%, building on similar gains in the U.S. on Friday after the strong U.S. jobs report.