Feb. 1
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4,060
4,080
4,100
4,120
4,140
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4,180
Markets wavered on Friday after data on hiring last month showed a big jump in jobs, defying expectations for a slowdown and forcing investors to weigh the surprisingly strong labor market with signs that the fight against inflation could be approaching an end.Stocks initially dropped at the jobs numbers, before regaining ground to trade roughly at a small loss around midday. The moves reflected the push-and-pull in markets in recent months, amid competing narratives about inflation, growth and interest rates.The Federal Reserve is trying to bring down inflation by raising rates, without going too far and sending the economy into a recession. Higher rates raise borrowing costs for consumers and companies, which investors have seen as bad for stocks. Fed policymakers have said that to be comfortable pausing rate increases, they must see clear signs that price pressures were waning as a result of the economy cooling.But the jobs data released Friday showed a robust labor market, with U.S. employers adding more than twi …
