Markets End the Day Higher

The stock market shook off an early slump and ended modestly higher, breaking a three-day slump, the AP reports. Stocks had opened lower after the government reported a disappointing slowdown in hiring last month, but by mid-afternoon major indexes turned higher and stayed up for the rest of the day. Investors are hoping that the pullback in hiring will make it even less likely that the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates at its policy meeting next month and may hold off on raising rates entirely for the rest of the year. The Dow Jones industrial average rose 79 points, or 0.5%, to 17,740. The Standard & Poor's 500 index added six points, or 0.3%, to 2,057. The Nasdaq composite climbed 19 points, or 0.4%, to 4,736. (More Dow Jones stories.)