US open: Stocks lower as investors digest February jobs report

(Sharecast News) - Wall Street stocks were in the red early on Friday as investors digested last month's all-important non-farm payrolls report.

As of 1530 GMT, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 0.34% at 42,435.59, while the S&P 500 lost 0.56% to 5,706.66 and the Nasdaq Composite came out the gate 0.66% softer at 17,949.23.

The Dow opened 143.49 points lower on Friday, extending losses recorded in the previous session after Donald Trump's latest trade concessions failed to calm the market.

Friday's primary focus was February's non-farm payrolls report, which revealed hiring in the US rose roughly as expected last month. According to the Department of Labor, in seasonally adjusted terms non-farm payrolls increased by 151,000 in February. Economists had anticipated a gain of 158,000.

The rate of unemployment ticked higher by one-tenth of a percentage point from the month before to reach 4.1%, while labour force participation slipped by two-tenths of a percentage point to 62.4%. Private sector payrolls rose by 140,000, while government payrolls where up by just 11,000. Payroll figures for the prior two months were revised down by a combined 2,000.

Elsewhere on the macro front, Federal Reserve chairman Jerome Powell will deliver a speech at 1730 GMT, while January consumer credit change figures will be published at 2000 GMT.

In the corporate space, fast food outfit Jack in the Box traded higher on the back of Q1 earnings that came in ahead of analyst expectations, while shares in embattled server maker Super Micro Computer surged after it finally submitted its long-awaited financials.

Reporting by Iain Gilbert at Sharecast.com

Dow Jones - Risers

Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. (WBA) $11.39 7.55%

Intel Corp. (INTC) $20.83 3.71%

Amgen Inc. (AMGN) $323.96 2.52%

Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ) $45.33 2.49%

Merck & Co. Inc. (MRK) $96.24 2.38%

Chevron Corp. (CVX) $156.04 2.02%

McDonald's Corp. (MCD) $315.76 1.74%

Apple Inc. (AAPL) $237.92 1.46%

Caterpillar Inc. (CAT) $345.58 1.34%

Unitedhealth Group Inc. (UNH) $491.60 0.80%

Dow Jones - Fallers

Walmart Inc. (WMT) $92.17 -2.61%

American Express Co. (AXP) $268.86 -2.46%

Home Depot Inc. (HD) $373.27 -2.22%

Boeing Co. (BA) $155.57 -1.81%

JP Morgan Chase & Co. (JPM) $242.44 -1.66%

Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (GS) $559.12 -1.51%

Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) $392.24 -1.07%

Walt Disney Co. (DIS) $104.36 -1.01%

Dow Chemical Co. (DOW) $37.10 -0.92%

Salesforce.Com Inc. (CRM) $284.30 -0.61%

S&P 500 - Risers

Gap Inc. (GAP) $21.89 12.37%

Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. (WBA) $11.39 7.55%

Jack Henry & Associates Inc. (JKHY) $187.54 6.66%

PACCAR Inc. (PCAR) $108.38 5.95%

Apache Corp. (APA) $19.38 5.35%

Biogen Inc (BIIB) $151.59 5.34%

Qorvo, Inc. (QRVO) $73.46 5.30%

Fastenal Co. (FAST) $79.00 4.72%

Skyworks Solutions Inc. (SWKS) $69.76 4.58%

Broadcom Inc. (AVGO) $186.13 4.07%

S&P 500 - Fallers

Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) $15.28 -14.92%

VF Corp. (VFC) $18.78 -8.66%

Intuitive Surgical Inc. (ISRG) $514.12 -7.70%

Costco Wholesale Corp. (COST) $959.98 -7.16%

Netflix Inc. (NFLX) $889.86 -7.13%

United Airlines Holdings Inc (UAL) $82.75 -6.54%

Fortinet Inc. (FTNT) $100.58 -5.69%

American Airlines Group (AAL) $12.98 -5.32%

Tapestry Inc. (TPR) $73.82 -5.01%

Equinix, Inc. (EQIX) $864.83 -4.93%

Nasdaq 100 - Risers

Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. (WBA) $11.39 7.55%

Sirius XM Holdings Inc (SIRI) $24.78 7.47%

PACCAR Inc. (PCAR) $108.38 5.95%

Biogen Inc (BIIB) $151.59 5.34%

Fastenal Co. (FAST) $79.00 4.72%

Skyworks Solutions Inc. (SWKS) $69.76 4.58%

Broadcom Inc. (AVGO) $186.13 4.07%

Intel Corp. (INTC) $20.83 3.71%

Vodafone Group Plc ADS (VOD) $9.34 3.61%

Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. (REGN) $707.33 3.57%

Nasdaq 100 - Fallers

Intuitive Surgical Inc. (ISRG) $514.12 -7.70%

Costco Wholesale Corp. (COST) $959.98 -7.16%

Netflix Inc. (NFLX) $889.86 -7.13%

American Airlines Group (AAL) $12.98 -5.32%

Mercadolibre Inc. (MELI) $1,982.34 -5.16%

Starbucks Corp. (SBUX) $104.12 -4.27%

Booking Holdings Inc. (BKNG) $4,639.06 -3.81%

Marriott International - Class A (MAR) $257.05 -3.74%

Take-Two Interactive Software Inc. (TTWO) $205.48 -3.28%

Ross Stores Inc. (ROST) $135.01 -3.19%