Stocks Jump Following Jobs Report

Market improved for first time in six days

Good news was finally good news for the stock market on Friday.

Stocks jumped in early trading after the Labor Department said U.S. employers added 203,000 jobs last month, greater than the 180,000 economists had forecast. It was the fourth straight month of solid gains in the job market and the latest encouraging sign for the economy.

The market rose for the first time in six days. The Standard & Poor's 500 index had been sliding this week after a series of positive economic reports prompted investors to speculate that the Federal Reserve would soon pull back on its economic stimulus, which has been supporting financial markets.