Wall Street stocks rose early Friday, digesting a mixed jobs report as markets seek a pivot from a rough period amid tariff uncertainty.
The United States added 151,000 jobs last month, up from January's revised 125,000 figure, but fewer than analysts estimates as unemployment ticked higher, AFP reported.
Analysts described the report as unspectacular but good enough to suggest the labor market is not weakening precipitously.
About 40 minutes into trading, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 0.2 percent at 42,657.60
The broad-based S&P 500 rose 0.3 percent to 5,757.28, while the tech-rich Nasdaq Composite Index gained 0.6 percent to 18,169.55.
Stocks have been under pressure in recent days as uncertainty about President Trump's trade policy stokes worries of an economic slowdown.
"While the decline in consumer confidence due to uncertainty related to tariff policy could dampen consumer spending on the margin, most importantly the labor market remains strong and income gains are buoyant, and this should be the dominate driver of ongoing solid consumer spending," said Nationwide Chief Economist Kathy Bostjancic.
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