The major U.S. stock indexes ended **broadly higher** on Friday, **October 2, 2026**, as a shockingly weak **September jobs report** that came in at just 29,000 — one-third of the 89,000 consensus estimate — essentially took an October Fed rate hike off the table, sending Treasury yields tumbling and triggering a powerful "bad news is good news" rally. It was the clearest signal yet that the Fed's tightening campaign is beginning to crack the labor market.
The **S&P 500** surged **0.73%** (+56.27 pts) to **7,722.72.** The **Dow** gained **0.49%** (+250.40 pts) to **51,176.96.** The **Nasdaq** soared **1.19%** (+319.27 pts) to **27,190.86.** The **Russell 2000** climbed **0.94%** (+26.27 pts) to **2,832.90.**
The **10-year Treasury yield** rose **0.76%** to **5.28%**, giving back some of its morning drop. The **VIX** fell **6.47%** to **15.33.** **Gold** dropped **0.73%** to **$4,171.60.** **Crude Oil** fell **1.46%** to **$91.51/barrel.**
