Wall Street Closes Mixed as Markets Await Key U.S. Jobs Report

Amazon shares fell sharply in after-hours trading following the release of its quarterly earnings and forward guidance.

Wall Street’s major indexes ended Thursday’s session with mixed results as investors remained focused on a key U.S. jobs report and the ongoing corporate earnings season.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average—which tracks 30 major companies—declined 0.28% to 44,747.63 points. In contrast, the S&P 500, representing the most valuable companies, rose 0.36% to 6,083.57 points, while the Nasdaq Composite advanced 0.51% to 19,791.99 points.

SPX

As investors continue adjusting to the evolving trade landscape between the U.S. and China, labor market data remains in focus. New unemployment claims increased by 11,000 to 219,000, exceeding expectations of 213,000.

This data comes just one day before the highly anticipated nonfarm payrolls report, which will be crucial for the Federal Reserve’s monetary policy outlook. Markets still expect that interest rate cuts are months away, which could limit corporate earnings growth.

Amazon’s Earnings Disappoint After-Hours

Investors were closely watching Amazon (+1.13%), which rose during the regular session but dropped 5% in after-hours trading. While the company exceeded market expectations for Q4 earnings, its 2025 sales outlook disappointed.

Sector Performance and Key Movers

Most of the S&P 500’s 11 major sectors closed higher, led by financials and consumer goods, while energy stocks saw the biggest declines.

Within the Dow Jones, standout performers included chip giant Nvidia (+3.08%) and banking leader JP Morgan (+2.39%).

Ignacio Teson

Economist and Financial Analyst

Ignacio Teson is an Economist and Financial Analyst. He has more than 7 years of experience in emerging markets. He worked as an analyst and market operator at brokerage firms in Argentina and Spain.