US stocks fall amid jobs data, trade tensions

New York : US stocks closed lower as investors digested a slew of economic data amid global trade tensions.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average on Friday decreased 79.33 points, or 0.31 per cent, to 25,916.54. The S&P 500 was down 6.37 points, or 0.22 per cent, to 2,871.68, Xinhua news agency reported.

The Nasdaq Composite Index dipped 20.18 points, or 0.25 per cent, to 7,902.54.

The Dow declined with Travelers Companies and United Technologies among the worst performers. Shares of both companies dropped more than 1 per cent at the close.

Ten of the 11 primary S&P 500 sectors traded lower with real estate and utilities leading the laggards. The Nasdaq posted its fourth straight loss.

Fears of intensifying global trade disputes continued to dent market sentiment, experts noted.

Wall Street also paid close attention to the latest jobs data.

The US economy added 201,000 jobs in August, and the unemployment rate was unchanged at 3.9 per cent, the Labor Department said on Friday.