Wall Street stocks buoyed by strong economic data

The Dow rose 564.47 points, or 1.39%, to 41,317.43, the S&P 500 gained 82.54 points, or 1.47%, to 5,686.68 and the Nasdaq gained 266.99 points, or 1.51%, to 17,977.73.

NEW YORK: Wall Street stocks advanced on Friday, notching the second straight week of gains, helped by strong economic data and potential easing of trade tensions between the US and China.

The US economy added 177,000 jobs in April, exceeding expectations, while the unemployment rate held steady at 4.2%. The data helped to assuage concerns of a economic slowdown following a Commerce Department report, showing a contraction in US gross domestic product for the first time in three years, weighed down by a tariff-induced flood of imports.