EQUITY MARKETS

US

S&P500 -0.67% (2,153.74); NASDAQ -0.37% (5,292.41); DJIA -0.37% (18,240.49)

This week’s reports:

September’s Unemployment Rate increased to 5% from August’s 4.9%. Non-Farm Payrolls rose by 156K from August’s upwardly revised 167K. Participation Rate rose to 62.9% from August’s 62.8%.
September’s Average Weekly Hours rose to 34.4 from August’s 34.3. Average Hourly Earnings rose by 0.2% from August’s +0.1%.
August’s Consumer Credit rose by $25.89B from July’s +$17.78B. The surge in credit was led by non-revolving debt.
September’s Markit Manufacturing PMI rose to 51.5 from August’s 51.4. Markit Services PMI rose to 52.3 from August’s 51.9. Markit Composite PMI rose to 52.3 from August’s 52.0.
September’s ISM Manufacturing rose to 51.5 from August’s 49.4. ISM Non-Manufacturing surged to 57.1 from August’s 51.4.
August’s Factory Orders rose 0.2% from July’s +1.4%.
Initial Jobless Claims for the week ending September 30^th fell by 5K to 249K. Continuing Jobless Claims for the week ending September 23^rd fell by 6K to 2,058K.

US stocks had their first weekly decline in four as jobs data showing steady growth in the labor market kept the Federal Reserve on track to carry out an interest rate increase this year.