Investing.com - U.S. stocks rose on Friday after a soft October jobs report left many concluding the Federal Reserve might hold off on raising interest rates until later in 2015 than once anticipated, leaving borrowing costs low while the economy continues to grow.
At the close of U.S. trading, the Dow 30 rose 0.11%, the S&P 500 index rose 0.03%, while the NASDAQ Composite index fell 0.13%.
The CBOE Volatility Index index, which measures the outlook for market volatility, was down 3.80% at 13.15.
The Department of Labor reported earlier that the U.S. economy added 214,000 jobs in October, missing expectations for an increase of 231,000. The number of jobs added in September was revised to 256,000 from a previously estimated 248,000.
The report also revealed that the U.S. unemployment rate ticked down to 5.8% in October from 5.9% in September. Analysts had expected the unemployment rate to remain unchanged last month.
While not overwhelmingly disappointing, the less-than-stellar report did give investors room to rethink when the Federal Reserve will hike interest rates next year.
The Fed recently closed its monthly bond-buying program and is expected to raise interest rates some time in 2015, though the timing as to when next year benchmark borrowing costs may rise remains up in the air thanks to hit-or-miss U.S. data.
Leading Dow Jones Industrial Average performers included Wal-Mart Stores Inc (NYSE:WMT), up 1.33%, Verizon Communications Inc (NYSE:VZ), up 1.13%, and Visa Inc (NYSE:V), up 0.92%.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average's worst performers included UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH), down 2.71%, Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS), down 2.18%, and Nike Inc (NYSE:NKE), down 0.90%.
European indices, meanwhile, ended the day largely lower.
After the close of European trade, the DJ Euro Stoxx 50 fell 1.20%, France's CAC 40 fell 0.89%, while Germany's DAX fell 0.91%. Meanwhile, in the U.K. the FTSE 100 rose 0.25%.