Stocks Ended Choppy Session Fractionally Lower

U.S. stocks closed fractionally lower on Friday in the wake of a U.S. airstrike in Syria and weak jobs data. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 6.85 points, or 0.03%, to 20,656.10. The S&P 500 shed 1.95 points, or 0.08%, to 2,355.54. The Nasdaq Composite dropped 1.14 points, or 0.02%, to 5,877.81.

The momentum in the U.S. labor market flagged in March, new government data showed Friday, with the private sector and the government adding only 98,000 jobs, the lowest gain in nearly a year, as winter storms weighed on economic activity.

Oil futures ended at a one-month high Friday after a U.S. airstrike on Syria, though gains were capped by expectations risks to Middle East output would be limited. Light, sweet crude futures for delivery in May finished at $52.24 a barrel, a gain of 54 cents, or 1.04%. For the week, the U.S. benchmark rose 3.2%. June Brent crude rose 35 cents, or 0.6%, to close at $55.24 a barrel. Brent rose 3.2% for the week.