Finance

Bond yields moved noticeably lower on the heels of the contractionary employment data, reflecting diminished anxiety over near-term monetary tightening. The benchmark 10-year Treasury yield dropped to approximately 4.64%, while the 2-year yield fell to 4.20%. Analysts noted that the soft labor market figures provide central bank policymakers additional breathing room to evaluate incoming economic data before acting on rates.

Large-cap technology and enterprise software companies spearheaded the broader market momentum, with the Nasdaq Composite climbing 1.3% in a single session to wrap up a 5.2% weekly advance. Notable standouts included Atlassian, which exploded upward following a robust earnings report, alongside a 10% surge from Palantir Technologies. Heavyweights such as Nvidia and Broadcom also contributed substantial gains to lift the tech sector.

Precious metals witnessed renewed investor enthusiasm as gold futures rallied by more than 2% to finish the week at $4,340.70 per ounce, marking its highest settlement value since mid-June. The asset posted a robust 7.2% weekly gain, its most dramatic percentage increase in nearly seven months. Ongoing concerns regarding structural inflation and central bank policies have revitalized gold's appeal as a defensive store of value.