Labor Market Shock Sends Stocks Lower

U.S. stocks opened sharply lower Friday, March 6, 2026, after February's Bureau of Labor Statistics report showed a loss of 92,000 nonfarm payrolls, pushing unemployment to 4.4% and wage growth to 3.7%. The weakness, combined with rising oil—Brent near $87 and WTI above $84—stoked stagflation worries and pressured major indexes, complicating the Federal Reserve's rate outlook.