US markets closed higher on Friday, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq notching their highest closing levels since early 2022 after a robust US jobs report fueled investor optimism about a soft landing for the economy.
 
The S&P 500 climbed 0.4 percent to 4,604 points. The Nasdaq gained 0.5 percent to 14,404 points, while Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.4 percent to 36,248 points. The S&P 500's close was its highest since March 2022, while the Nasdaq's close was its highest since April 2022.
 
For the week, the S&P 500 ended higher for the sixth week in a row, its longest streak since November 2019. The Dow ended flat for the week, also its sixth straight weekly gain, its longest run of positive weeks since February 2019. The Nasdaq gained 0.7 percent for the week.
 
The unemployment rate slipped to 3.7%, while average earnings edged up to 0.4% on a monthly basis, compared with forecasts of 0.3% growth.
 
Chipmaker Nvidia and Facebook-owner Meta Platforms each gained nearly 2 percent yesterday. Shares of Google-parent Alphabet dipped 1.4%, giving up gains after an AI-led rally in the previous session.
 
Other data showed US consumer sentiment perked up much more than expected in December, snapping four straight months of declines.