Markets take weak December jobs report in stride

Associated Press
FILE - In this Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2014, file photo, specialist Jason Hardzewicz, left, and trader John Doyle work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. Stock indexes are slightly higher in early trading Friday, Jan. 10, 2014. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, File)

NEW YORK (AP) — Financial markets are taking a surprisingly weak U.S. jobs report in stride.

Stock indexes are slightly higher in early trading Friday. The Dow Jones industrial average climbed 18 points, or 0.1 percent, to 16,462.

The Standard & Poor's 500 rose three points, 0.2 percent, at 1,841. The Nasdaq composite was up seven points, 0.2 percent, at 4,163.

The government said employers added just 74,000 jobs last month, far below what economists were looking for.

The dollar fell and bond prices rose as investors interpreted the slowdown in job creation as a signal that the Federal Reserve would keep interest rates low for a while longer.

Alcoa fell 7 percent. The aluminum company posted a $2.34 billion fourth-quarter loss late Thursday due to low aluminum prices.