March Jobs Report: A Muddled Picture

Bret JensenInvesting Group LeaderFollow5ShareSavePlay(7min)CommentsSummaryEquities rebounded sharply last week, with the NASDAQ up over 4% on the week, and the S&P 500 rising north of three percent.The 'dead cat bounce' rally was despite another big gain in oil on the Middle East conflict and more bad news around the private credit markets.Friday morning, saw the March BLS jobs report with a headline number of 179,000 jobs created last month, three times the consensus estimate.However, this most recent labor market data is quite muddled: headline job gains masked weak labor participation rates and tepid wage growth.Looking for a helping hand in the market? Members of The Biotech Forum get exclusive ideas and guidance to navigate any climate. Learn More » JLGutierrez/E+ via Getty Images Stocks staged a nice rebound in the holiday shortened trading week. The S&P 500 (SP500) broke a five-week losing streak, rallying 3.4% on the week. The NASDAQ (COMP:IND) rose more than fourThis article was written byBret Jensen57.25K FollowersFollowBret Jensen has over 13 years as a market analyst, helping investors find big winners in the biotech sector. Bret specializes in high beta sectors with potentially large investor returns.Bret leads the investing group The Biotech Forum, in which he and his team offer a model portfolio with their favorite 12-20 high upside biotech stocks, live chat to discuss trade ideas, and weekly research and option trades. The group also provides market commentary and a portfolio update every weekend. Learn More.Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article. Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.