• U.S. job growth surges in April, boosts stocks
  • Oil prices track equities higher
  • Kuwait and Qatar’s stock markets rise
  • Dollar drops, gold rises

Global markets

Stock markets from around the world rose on Friday as a better than expected United States payroll report boosted sentiment.

U.S. job growth surged in April, with non-farm payrolls increasing by 263,000 jobs, and the unemployment rate dropped to a more than 49-year low of 3.6 percent, pointing to sustained strength in economic activity even as last year’s massive fiscal stimulus recedes, according to a Reuters report.

The pan-European STOXX 600 index rose 0.39 percent and MSCI’s gauge of stocks across the globe gained 0.75 percent.

On Wall Street, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 209.15 points, or 0.8%, to 26,516.94, the S&P 500 gained 27.94 points, or 0.96%, to 2,945.46, and the Nasdaq Composite added 117.69 points, or 1.46%, to 8,154.46.

Oil prices

Oil prices were also pushed higher by the U.S. jobs report.

Brent crude oil futures settled at $70.85 a barrel, rising 10 cents. The global benchmark shed 2.6% for the week, breaking a five-week winning streak.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures closed at $61.94 a barrel, up 13 cents, while losing about 3% percent during the week, its second straight weekly decline.

“If more people are going to work, they’re going to have to drive or take transportation to get there,” Phil Streible, senior commodities strategist at RJO Futures in Chicago told Reuters. “It’s a good indication we could expect to see gasoline demand, oil demand picking up into the summer.”

Middle East markets

Kuwait's blue chip index added 1.4 percent on Thursday, with Mabanee Company and Burgan Bank gaining 3.9 percent and 2.2 percent, respectively.

The Qatar index rose 0.8 percent, with Gulf International Services jumping 10 percent after its unit was awarded contracts by Qatar Petroleum to provide six offshore drilling rigs.

Dubai's index added 0.3 percent, helped by a 2.4 percent rise by Emaar Properties and a 2.9 percent gain in Dubai Investments.

The Abu Dhabi index was down 0.3 percent, with United Arab Bank sliding 4.2 percent and Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank (ADCB) losing 0.5 percent.

The Saudi Arabian index fell 0.3 percent, with Gulf Union Cooperative Insurance declining 4.8 percent and Saudi Basic Industries dropping 1.3 percent.

Egypt’s blue-chip index EGX30 edged 0.3 percent lower while Oman’s index was flat and Bahrain’s index edged 0.1 percent higher.

Currencies

The dollar dropped following the release of the U.S. jobs report.

The dollar index, which measures the greenback against a basket of six major currencies, fell 0.31 percent.

Precious metals

Gold prices traded higher on Friday.

Spot gold rose 0.7% to $1,279.47 per ounce as of 2:22 p.m. EDT (1822 GMT).

U.S. gold futures settled 0.7% higher at $1,281.30 an ounce.

(Reporting by Gerard Aoun; Editing by Mily Chakrabarty)

(gerard.aoun@refinitiv.com)


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