-- US equity indexes traded mixed ahead of Friday's close as technology topped sectors, nonfarm payrolls surged, and Washington struck Iranian tankers while awaiting a response to its peace proposal.
The Nasdaq jumped 1.5% to 26,185.1, and the S&P 500 climbed 0.7% to 7,389.3. The Dow Jones Industrial Average edged 0.1% lower to 49,548.3. The tech sector was up 2.4% in the final leg of trading.
Nonfarm payrolls rose by 115,000 last month, the Bureau of Labor Statistics said Friday, beating the 65,000 gain expected in a Bloomberg-compiled survey. The increase in March was revised up by 7,000 to 185,000, while the fall in February was adjusted to 156,000 from 133,000, the BLS said.
The US expects a response from Iran on a proposal to end the war on Friday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said, adding he hopes "it's a serious offer," CNN reported.
Meanwhile, US forces disabled two Iranian-flagged unladen oil tankers on Friday that were attempting to dock at an Iranian port on the Gulf of Oman in violation of the US blockade, US Central Command said in a social media post on X, formerly Twitter. According to President Donald Trump, a ceasefire is still in effect, CNN reported.
West Texas Intermediate crude oil futures rose 0.6% to $95.35, and Brent crude futures increased 1% to $101.05, paring this week's declines.