Stocks Struggled Despite Strong Job Data

U.S. stocks struggled to push higher in the early trading on Friday despite better-than-expected job market data. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lately gained 11.62 points, or 0.06%, to 17,896.50. The S&P 500 was up 1.06 points, or 0.05%, to 2,063.58. The Nasdaq Composite lost 5.86 points, or 0.12%, to 4,759.23.

Employers added a better-than-expected 257,000 jobs in January as the resurgent labor market began 2015 on a positive note. The unemployment rate, which is calculated from a separate survey of households, rose to 5.7% from 5.6%, the Labor Department said Friday.

Average hourly earnings jumped 0.5% in January to $24.75, the best showing since November 2008, according
to Labor Department data released Friday.

Twitter (TWTR) reported adjusted fourth-quarter earnings of 12 cents per share on revenue of $479 million, handily beating the analysts’ average estimates of 6 cents per share and $453 million.

Moody’s Corp. (MCO) reported on Friday a fourth-quarter profit of $236.3 million, or $1.12 a share, up from $206.7 million, or 94 cents a share, in the year-earlier period. Revenue rose 13% to $877.5 million,

CBOE Holdings Inc. said its earnings rose 7.6% in the fourth quarter as trading volume and transaction fees increased. The company posted $122.7 million in transaction fees for the period, an increase of 24% from the same period a year ago. Average revenue per contract rose 8%.

RadioShack, after years of puzzling bottom-seeking stock investors on how it managed to stay in business, filed for bankruptcy on Thursday evening. The retailer, best known to consumers in recent years as a trusty seller of easy to lose cords, chargers and tech accessories, also announced a deal to sell between 1,500 and 2,400 stores to a consortium including Standard General and Sprint while in restructuring.