U.S. stocks slid Friday as investors digested a stronger-than-expected jobs report and rising rates.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 290 points, or 0.8%. The S&P 500 slipped 1.2%. The Nasdaq Composite fell 1.8%.
Hiring in the U.S. remained elevated in May. Nonfarm payrolls added 390,000 jobs last month, theBureau of Labor Statistics reported Friday. Economists expected 328,000 jobs added, according to Dow Jones.
Average hourly earnings rose 0.3% in May, according to the BLS, slightly less than the consensus estimate of 0.4% and in line with April’s pace.
“Numbers this strong would likely reverse any hopes the Fed would consider a pause in rate hikes after the June/July increases, because it would signal the labor market remains very tight,” Tom Essaye of the Sevens Report said.
Traders selling stocks likely reacted to the move higher in rates with fears of the Federal Reserve tightening monetary policy at the forefront. The benchmark 10-year Treasury yield climbed after the report, above the 2.97% level. Yields rose across the board as the jobs report is unlikely to give the Fed reason to pause its aggressive tightening campaign.
Investors fear higher yields could slow the economy too much and tip it into a recession. Higher rates also discount the value of future earnings, which can make stocks look less attractive, especially growth and tech names.
Meanwhile, Tesla shares fell 4% in the premarket after Reuters reported, citing an internal email, that CEO Elon Musk wants to cut 10% of jobs at the car maker. According to Reuters’ report, Musk also said in the email that he has a “super bad” feeling about the economy.
Stocks are coming off a strong session in which the major averages rose for the first time in three sessions. The Dow added 435.05 points, or 1.3%. The S&P 500 gained 1.8% and the Nasdaq Composite advanced 2.7%.
Thursday’s gains pushed the major averages into positive territory for the week. The S&P 500 is up 0.5% and headed for a second winning week in a row.
Trading was choppy at the start of trading Thursday with investors divided on recession calls and if the Federal Reserve may be positioned to take a break from its interest rate hikes. Fed Vice Chair Lael Brainard on Thursday told CNBC it’s unlikely to do so anytime soon and that it’s “got a lot of work to do to get inflation down to our 2% target.”
Investors were also digesting employment data released by payroll processing firm ADP in the morning, which showed the slowest job creation pace of the pandemic-era recovery.
Stocks rallied into the close, finishing near session highs, as investors saw value in technology shares and other names beaten down in this year’s pullback.
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