U.S. stocks ended sharply higher on Friday, contributing to substantial weekly gains, as investors shrugged off another round of dismal labor-market data and concentrated on the easing of lockdowns across the country.

The S&P 500 rose 49 points, or 1.7%, to end around 2,930. The Dow Jones Industrial Average advanced 455 points, or 1.9%, to finish near 24,331, based on preliminary numbers. The Nasdaq Composite climbed 142 points, or 1.6%, to 9,121.

The official jobs report showed that 20.5 million jobs were shed last month, and the unemployment rate soared to 14.7% from 4.4% in March.

Source :  Marketwatch