Stocks Opened Higher on Healthy Jobs Report

U.S. stocks opened higher on Friday in the wake of data showing U.S. employment grew in November. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lately climbed 30.49 points, or 0.23%, to 13,104.53. The S&P 500 index gained 0.60 point, or 0.04%, to 1,414.54 and the Nasdaq Composite fell 6.99 points, or 0.23%, to 2,982.28.

The U.S. added 146,000 jobs last month, Labor Department said Friday. The unemployment rate also fell to 7.7% from 7.9%, the lowest level since December 2008, much better than economists had expected.

A European Central Bank policymaker said on Friday the bank had had a “very serious” debate about cutting interest rates this week and that a cut was possible next year if the euro zone economy does not pick up.

Luxury sports carmaker Aston Martin is set to invest $800 million in new models and technology after winning the backing of an Italian private equity firm. The British company, whose cars feature in the James Bond spy movie franchise, said Italy’s Investindustrial would take a stake of 37.5% in the carmaker in exchange for injecting £150 million ($240 million) via a capital increase.

Leading firearm manufacturer, Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation (SWHC) reported adjusted earnings of 24 cents per share in the second quarter of fiscal 2013, compared with 1 cent per share in the year-ago quarter.