U.S. stocks closed lower Thursday as investors held their breath for September's jobs report . The Dow fell 0.44%, the S&P 500 dropped 0.17%, and the Nasdaq barely flinched with a 0.04% dip. Eight of 11 S&P sectors sank, led by consumer discretionary and materials. But tech and energy stocks flexed , rising 0.60% and 1.58% respectively.
Geopolitics & Oil Shake Up October
Markets faced a rocky start to October , with Middle East tensions spooking traders. Oil prices shot up 5% Thursday (8% this week!) as Israel's ground offensive in Lebanon escalated fears. Weekly jobless claims also ticked up, adding pressure before Friday's big payrolls reveal.
Analysts: Keep Calm and Carry On?
Janus Henderson's Jeremiah Buckley told us: \"One jobs report won't define us\". He believes strong fundamentals can handle short-term data wobbles: \"The labor market's moving toward balance – we're still bullish long-term.\"
Tesla Hits Speed Bump
Tesla shares slid 3% after axing U.S. online orders for its cheapest Model 3. The move follows underwhelming delivery numbers, leaving investors wondering: Is the EV hype cooling?
. The Dow fell 0.44%, the S&P 500 dropped 0.17%, and the Nasdaq barely flinched with a 0.04% dip. Eight of 11 S&P sectors sank, led by consumer discretionary and materials. But tech and energy stocks flexed 
, rising 0.60% and 1.58% respectively.
, with Middle East tensions spooking traders. Oil prices shot up 5% Thursday (8% this week!) as Israel's ground offensive in Lebanon escalated fears. Weekly jobless claims also ticked up, adding pressure before Friday's big payrolls reveal.
. He believes strong fundamentals can handle short-term data wobbles: \"The labor market's moving toward balance – we're still bullish long-term.\"
