US Markets Open Flat Amidst Jobs Data Disappointment

Following the release of weaker-than-expected employment figures, major US stock markets opened mostly flat on Friday. The Bureau of Labor Statistics revealed that nonfarm payrolls increased by 143,000 in January, missing forecasts. Despite this, the unemployment rate slightly decreased to 4%, with the total number of unemployed individuals standing at 6.8 million.

At the opening bell, the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the S&P 500 showed little movement. In contrast, the Nasdaq 100 saw a modest increase of 0.10%, driven by significant gains from TakeTwo Interactive Software Inc. and Fortinet Inc., which soared 9.51% and 4.57%, respectively. Additionally, the euro experienced a slight decline against the dollar, trading 0.09% lower at $1.03783 by 3:58 pm ET.