Indeed, the American economy created more jobs than expected in January (353,000 after 333,000 in December and 180,000 expected). The unemployment rate remained stable at 3.7% in January and the average hourly wage jumped by 0.6% in January after +0.4% in December and +0.3% expected.
Apple (-0.54% to 185.85) reported disappointing sales in China in the October-December period, casting a shadow over overall revenue and sales that beat Wall Street’s expectations for the quarter.
Meta Platforms jumped 20.32% to 474.99 after announcing a dividend for the first time, ahead of the twentieth anniversary of its social network Facebook, while reporting quarterly revenue above expectations , in the wake of solid advertising sales during the end-of-year holidays.
Amazon (+7.87% to 171.81) published a quarterly turnover higher than expectations, driven by the growth of its cloud computing activities and by online sales during the holiday period the end of the year.
Intel lost 1.75% to 72.60 after information from the Wall Street Journal according to which the semiconductor group plans a delay in its $20 billion chip production project in Ohio, citing a slowdown in the market.
The chip maker Microchip Technology (-1.59% to 84.29) announced that it anticipates a turnover for the current quarter lower than Wall Street’s expectations against a backdrop of weak demand from its customers who are getting rid of their excess stocks.
Activist investor Barington Capital said in a letter to the US toy maker on Thursday Mattel (+4.11% to 19.02) to implement major changes, notably by seeking strategic alternatives for the Fisher-Price and American Girl brands and by separating the role of the CEO from that of the president.
Exxon Mobile (-0.43% to 101.95) urged activist investors on Thursday, in a legal opinion, to abandon a climate proposal that the oil giant does not wish to put to a vote at the general meeting scheduled for May .
Clorox rose 5.63% to 156.38, as the cleaning products maker raised its annual sales and profit forecasts.
THE Dow Jones thus gained 0.35% to 38,654.42 points, the Nasdaq Composite 1.74% to 15,628.95 points and the S&P 500 1.07% to 4,958.61 points. Over the week, the Dow Jones gained 1.43%, the S&P-500 1.38% and the Nasdaq 1.12%.
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