Stocks Rise at the Open after Jobs Report

U.S. stocks edged up at the open on Friday, as investors digested a stronger-than-expected jobs report. the Dow Jones Industrial Average lately gained 32.36 points, or 0.21%, to 15,626.34. The S&P 500 was up 6.15 points, or 0.35%, to 1,753.30. The Nasdaq Composite rose 25.27 points, or 0.66%, to 3,882.60.

The U.S. economy added 204,000 jobs in October –— double Wall Street’s forecast — despite a government shutdown that was expected to put a damper on hiring. Hiring for September and August were revised up by a combined 60,000, the Labor Department said Friday.

Spending by U.S. consumers tapered off slightly in September, the government reported Friday. Consumer spending rose 0.2% in September, down from an unrevised 0.3% gain in August, the Commerce Department said.

McDonald’s Corp. (MCD:US), the world’s largest restaurant chain, said sales at stores open at least 13 months rose 0.5 percent in October as new items boosted sales in Europe and the U.S.