Finance

Although government bond yields initially plunged in the immediate aftermath of the weak employment report, they retraced their losses later in the trading session. The 10-year U.S. Treasury yield climbed back toward 5.30%, remaining near a 24-year peak. Investors continue to balance cooling labor metrics against broader inflation anxieties and the immense capital demand driven by the ongoing artificial intelligence expansion.

The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite outperformed other major benchmarks with a 1.2% daily gain, securing its third consecutive positive week. Mega-cap tech and semiconductor equities spearheaded the afternoon rally, heavily supported by artificial intelligence infrastructure demand. Hardware giant Nvidia notably propelled the sector upward by briefly hitting a new intraday all-time high during Friday's trading session.

Bitcoin prices held steady around the $84,000 to $86,000 zone as the final quarter of the year kicked off with healthy trading volumes. The sudden volatility earlier in the day led to roughly $110 million in short-position liquidations in derivatives markets within a brief 10-minute window. Meanwhile, Ethereum mirrored the positive digital asset sentiment by maintaining its footing near the $2,700 threshold.