Stocks pull back on weak jobs gains - CNN

Like the Dow, however, both indexes also clawed their way back from even bigger drops earlier in the session.

The weaker jobs gains could mean the Federal Reserve will keep propping up the economy.

It could also delay any interest rate hikes until later in 2022.

But there was some good news in the jobs report too though, which may be muddling the picture for investors (and the Fed) a bit.

Despite the tepid gains in the number of jobs added, the unemployment rate fell to a new pandemic-era low of 4.2%.

To that end, analysts from Barclays noted in a report Friday that "the Fed will feel more urgency to remove accommodation" in light of how rapidly the unemployment rate has dropped.