US equity markets closed the week in positive territory on Friday, recovering from the previous session's losses after an unexpected contraction in July employment reduced pressure on the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates further, giving investors room to take on greater risk. It was the best week for American stocks since April.
The benchmark S&P 500 advanced 0.62% to 7,757.64 points, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 0.28% to close at 54,036.93. The technology-heavy Nasdaq rose 1.30%, finishing the session at 26,690.62 points.
The market's gains were driven by the release of US Department of Labor data. Contrary to analyst estimates that had pointed to the creation of 80,000 jobs, the American economy shed 23,000 positions in July, while figures for May and June were also revised significantly downward. The unemployment rate, however, edged slightly lower to 4.1%.
In currency markets, a weakening dollar pushed the euro higher to 1.1559 against the greenback, extending its gains following the release of the US employment figures.
On the corporate front, attention centred on the performance of several large-cap stocks. SpaceX, the company led by Elon Musk, surged approximately 15% to $133.11, extending a recovery after the stock had fallen roughly 14% earlier in the week under pressure from quarterly earnings results and the expiry of a share sale lock-up period.
Atlassian Corporation, the listed software company, soared more than 35% after issuing revenue guidance for fiscal year 2027 that came in well above market expectations. Airbnb gained around 17% and Microchip Technology added close to 14%, both supported by solid earnings results. Moving in the opposite direction, The Trade Desk plunged more than 21% after issuing disappointing guidance for the coming quarter.
In commodities markets, the October-delivery Brent crude contract rose 1.29% in London, closing the session at $83.55 per barrel. Despite the gain in the final session, oil accumulated a decline of more than 7% over the course of the week amid heightened volatility linked to the geopolitical conflict in the Middle East.
Investors remain cautious over the evolving tensions in the region and ongoing negotiations surrounding the security of maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic route for the transportation of oil and other energy commodities.
Source: Diário Económico
Original article: https://www.diarioeconomico.co.mz/2026/08/08/mercados/mercados-mercados/mercado-laboral-ajuda-a-wall-street-a-voltar-aos-ganhos-spacex-dispara-mais-de-15/
