Stock market today: Dow, S&P 500, Nasdaq modestly gain after July jobs report surprises

US stock futures glided higher as investors digested a surprise decline in job growth and what that means for the Federal Reserve’s interest rate policy decisions.

Futures on the Dow Jones Industrial Average (YM=F) edged up by 0.1%, while those on the S&P 500 (ES=F) gained 0.3%. Contracts for the Nasdaq-100 (NQ=F) rose 0.6% after a mixed day in markets.

The attention turned to the July jobs report, which showed the US economy lost 23,000 jobs in July, while the unemployment rate ticked down slightly to 4.1%. Economists surveyed by Bloomberg expected 80,000 jobs to be added and unemployment to be 4.2% in the month.

While discussions around inflation and furious AI investment have overshadowed the largely stable labor market in recent months, Friday’s report offers a key input for the Federal Reserve as it weighs an interest rate hike at its next meeting.

Oil prices extended gains on Friday as the lack of a US-Iran peace deal fueled uncertainty over when the war will end. On Thursday night, an Iranian semi-official news agency reported explosions in the Strait of Hormuz linked to Iran intercepting “hostile targets.” Meanwhile, Iran and Oman continue to work toward a deal to reopen the strait, with the latest reports suggesting Iran will seek to block US and Israeli ships from the critical waterway.

How the recent fluctuations in oil prices affect inflation expectations and Treasury markets remains to be seen. The New York Fed’s one-year inflation expectations data is the other key economic report to watch on Friday, aside from the jobs report.

Friday’s earnings calendar is lighter than investors have come to expect in recent days. Vistra Corp. (VST), Oklo (OKLO), Under Armour (UA), and Wendy’s (WEN) comprise today’s major reports.