Key facts
- The Nasdaq Composite opened up 1.23% on Friday, reversing part of its 5.5% fall on Thursday.
- Nvidia shares slid more than 9% on Thursday and were up more than 6% in early Friday trading.
- The S&P 500 opened slightly higher and the Dow Jones Industrial Average opened a little down on Friday.
- The Bureau of Labor Statistics said US employers added 165,000 jobs in October, more than double what analysts had expected.
- The unemployment rate eased to 4.1% from 4.2% in September, the Bureau of Labor Statistics said.
- Professional and business services led job gains with 70,000, followed by healthcare with 42,000, per the BLS.
Shares in artificial intelligence and technology firms began to climb on Friday, November 6, 2026, after a sell-off on Thursday wiped trillions of dollars off stock values. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite opened up 1.23% and continued to gain in early trading, reversing part of its 5.5% fall the previous day. The rout began in the US on Thursday and spilled over to Asian and European markets into Friday.
Firms that fell hardest on Thursday also recovered in early trading. Nvidia, which shed hundreds of billions in market value after its shares slid more than 9%, began Friday trading up more than 6%. Tesla shares were up nearly 3%, while SpaceX shares were up more than 7%. The S&P 500 opened slightly higher and the Dow Jones Industrial Average opened a little down.
The report said investors had been selling tech shares in part over concerns that the Democrat victory in the midterm elections would mean slower artificial intelligence development. Democrats campaigned for new rules on AI and data centers and won control of both houses of Congress as well as key contests in states in the AI data center race. US President Donald Trump on Friday reiterated his support for what he calls "super intelligence", saying only "foolish leadership" would "say no to the riches they bring".
The Bureau of Labor Statistics said US employers added 165,000 jobs in October, well above the average monthly increase and more than double what analysts had expected. The unemployment rate eased to 4.1% from 4.2% in September and has stayed in a range of 4.1% to 4.3% since March, the BLS said. Professional and business services added 70,000 jobs and healthcare added 42,000, with gains also in transportation and warehousing and manufacturing.
Neil Birrell, chief investment officer at investment firm Premier Miton, said the jobs figures may feel like second billing to the market movements but were still important. "The US economy is running hard which may mean the risks the markets are worrying about at the moment are not such a risk to the real economy as is being feared," he said.