Total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 156,000 in September, and the unemployment rate was little changed at 5.0, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Job gains occurred in professional and business services and in health care.

The U.S. Census Bureau announced that August sales of merchant wholesalers, except manufacturers’ sales branches and offices, after adjustment for seasonal variations and trading-day differences but not for price changes, were $444.3 billion, up 0.7% from the revised July level and up 0.6% from the August 2015 level. The June to July percent change was revised from the preliminary estimate of down 0.4% to down 0.6%. August sales of durable goods were down 0.5% from July, but were up 0.7% from a year ago. Sales of machinery, equipment, and supplies were down 2.7% from July. Sales of nondurable goods were up 2.0% from July and were up 0.5% from last August. Sales of farm product raw materials were up 6.7% from last month, and sales of beer, wine, and distilled alcoholic beverages were up 2.2%.

Friday, the Dow closed 28.01 points (0.15%) lower at 18,240.49, the NASDAQ decreased 14.45 points (0.27%) to 5,292.40, and the S&P 500 was down 7.03 points (0.33%) at 2,153.74. The Russell 2000 decreased 9.68 points (0.78%) to 1,236.55, and the Wilshire 5000 lost 108.48 points (0.48%) to finish at 22,397.43.

On the NYSE, 3.1 billion shares traded, with declining issues outnumbering advancing issues more than 2 to 1. On the NASDAQ, 2.9 billion shares changed hands, with a near 2 to 1 lead for advancers.

The price of the 10-year Treasury note was up 3/32, decreasing its yield to 1.728%. The price of the 30-year Treasury bond was down 3/32, increasing its yield to 2.460%.