New York (AFP)

The New York Stock Exchange brought the Nasdaq and S & P 500 indices to unprecedented levels on Friday, thanks to better-than-expected statistics in the United States and China, and apparent gains in trade negotiations between the two countries.

With strong technological color, the Nasdaq appreciated by 1.13% to 8,386.40 points. The broad S & P 500 index, which represents the 500 largest groups on Wall Street, gained 0.97% to 3.066.91 points. The Dow Jones Industrial Average index, meanwhile, gained 1.11% to close at 27,347.36 points.

The indices were carried Friday by "the figures of the US employment report, better than expected" and by "the progress visibly made between China and the United States," according to Tom Cahill of Ventura Wealth Management

The unemployment rate in the United States in October is slightly up to 3.6% against 3.5% the month before, partly because of the long strike at the car manufacturer General Motors. But job creation has remained solid: the US economy created 128,000 jobs in October, a little more than expected. Figures for August and September have been revised upwards by 95,000.

The financial markets had already been refreshed earlier in the day by an independent indicator showing an unexpected rebound in manufacturing activity in China, its highest level since February 2017.

The in-session spread of an index showing that manufacturing activity in the United States was still shrinking, but less than in September when it had reached its lowest level since 2009, did not dampen investor enthusiasm.

The tone was also optimistic on Friday on trade negotiations between China and the United States, which should help end the conflict between the first two economies in the world.

According to Larry Kudlow, Donald Trump's chief economic advisor, talks on a so-called "phase 1" partial agreement have "made a lot of progress, but are not complete." A spokesman for the Chinese ministry spoke of "serious and constructive discussions" after a telephone conversation Friday between the main protagonists of the negotiation: Liu He, Chinese Vice Premier, Robert Lighthizer, the US Trade Representative ( USTR) and Steven Mnuchin, the US Secretary of the Treasury.

In the bond market, the yield on the 10-year US debt rate rose slightly to 1.716% around 20:15 GMT against 1.691% Thursday at the close. This indicates that this asset considered a safe bet is a little less popular.

For Cahill, the highlight of the week, however, the comments of the US central bank, which suggested Wednesday that the institution was going to take a break after lowering its rates for the third time this year. "The market seems to have welcomed this positioning without too much concern," he said.

Over the week, the Dow Jones rose 1.4%, the Nasdaq 1.7% and the S & P 500 1.5%.

© 2019 AFP