NEW YORK, March 7 (Xinhua) — U.S. stocks ended higher on Friday as Wall Street assessed the latest monthly jobs report and persistent market uncertainty fueled by U.S. President Donald Trump’s unpredictable trade policies.

The S&P 500 rose 31.68 points, or 0.55 percent, to close at 5,770.20, but posting its worst week in several months. The Nasdaq Composite gained 126.97 points, or 0.70 percent, finishing at 18,196.22. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 222.64 points, or 0.52 percent, to settle at 42,801.72.

Friday’s session saw significant volatility, with the Dow plunging over 400 points at its lowest, while the S&P 500 and Nasdaq both fell more than 1 percent before rebounding. Among the 11 primary S&P 500 sectors, eight ended higher. Utilities led the gains, rising 1.84 percent, followed by energy and technology, which advanced 1.64 percent and 1.44 percent, respectively. Consumer discretionary and consumer staples were among the laggards, declining 0.31 percent and 0.61 percent, respectively.

The U.S. nonfarm payrolls report showed 151,000 jobs were added in February, falling short of economists’ expectations of 160,000. Meanwhile, the unemployment rate ticked up from 4.0 percent to 4.1 percent. Trump touted the February jobs report on Friday, highlighting the estimated 10,000 manufacturing jobs added versus 10,000 federal government jobs lost.

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell reiterated on Friday that the central bank is not in a rush to cut interest rates. “Despite elevated levels of uncertainty, the U.S. economy continues to be in a good place,” Powell said at the annual U.S. Monetary Policy Forum in New York City. “The labor market is solid.”

Trade tensions remained a key concern. Trump temporarily paused tariffs on most goods from Mexico and Canada, prompting Canada to delay its second wave of retaliatory duties. However, Mexico has yet to issue a direct response. Trump also signaled that he may impose reciprocal tariffs on Canadian lumber and dairy products as soon as Friday.

“The market does not like uncertainty,” said Glen Smith, chief investment officer at GDS Wealth Management. “While we expect the market to find its footing and recover from the tariff-driven selloff, investors should brace for continued choppiness until these uncertainties clear.”

On the earnings front, shares of Broadcom edged higher after the U.S. chipmaker issued a strong second-quarter forecast, seen as a positive indicator for artificial intelligence demand.