Stocks End Mostly Higher after Jobs Data

U.S. stocks ended mostly higher on Friday, as investors appeared to shrug off a much weaker-than-expected report on December jobs growth. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 7.71 points, or 0.05%, to 16,437.05, leaving a loss of 0.2% for the week. The S&P 500
gained 4.24 points, or 0.23%, to end at 1,842.37, leaving it up 0.6% for the week. The Nasdaq Composite rose 18.47 points, or 0.44%, to 4,174.67, marking a 1% gain for the week.

Democrats said Friday’s lackluster jobs report is more reason to pass an unemployment insurance bill through Congress. But it’s still stuck following a report that shows the bill will add to the deficit over 10 years.

The U.S. government will part ways next month with contractor CGI Federal over the troubled Obamacare enrollment website, HealthCare.gov, which struggled with technical problems when it launched in October, the company said on Friday.

United Airlines is suffering a computer system malfunction that stranded pilots and caused canceled flights, evidence the company is still struggling to integrate Continental Airlines more than three years after the merger closed.

Feds kicked off opening statements Friday in the insider trading trial of Mathew Martoma, formerly of the hedge fund firm SAC Capital.