US stock market today: Why is the Nasdaq up 1% while the Dow Jones falls? S&P 500 turns green amid tech stock volatility and Fed rate hike fears over strong October jobs report

US stock market update today: Wall Street is moving in opposite directions on Friday, November 6. The Nasdaq has gained 1.02%, adding 248 points, while the Dow Jones has fallen 465 points. The S&P 500 is up 0.29%. The gap shows a recovery in semiconductor stocks after Thursday's AI-led sell-off, but buying remains selective.

Nvidia has jumped 5.56%, while Apple is down 0.94%.

A stronger October jobs report, with 165,000 new jobs against expectations of around 70,000, has also raised concerns about another Federal Reserve rate hike in December.

US stock market today: Dow Jones falls 465 points, Nasdaq gains 248 points

The Nasdaq's recovery is largely driven by renewed buying in technology and semiconductor stocks. Investors returned to chipmakers after Thursday's sharp losses, when concerns about AI spending and data centre construction triggered a broad sell-off.

The Nasdaq had fallen into correction territory on Thursday, losing more than 10% from its October record. Nvidia, Micron, AMD and SanDisk were among the stocks hit hardest. The VIX volatility index also surged 70% to 28, showing how quickly investor anxiety had increased.

Friday's gains suggest some investors are buying technology shares after the decline. However, the recovery is not broad enough to lift every major index.

The Dow Jones is down 0.90%, or 465.11 points, at 51,057.95. The index has greater exposure to traditional industrial, financial and healthcare companies. Weakness in some of these shares is offsetting gains in technology stocks.

The S&P 500 is holding in positive territory, gaining 0.29% to 7,375.32.

Nvidia stock price today: NVDA jumps 5.56% to $191.70

Nvidia is one of the biggest contributors to Friday's technology recovery. Its shares have gained $10.10, or 5.56%, to $191.70.

The rebound comes after a difficult Thursday session, when Nvidia shares plunged around 9%, marking their worst daily performance since the DeepSeek shock.

Investors are returning to the stock after the sharp decline.

Apple stock today: AAPL falls 0.94% to $340.93

Apple shares are down $3.24, or 0.94%, at $340.93. The decline is also weighing on the Dow Jones, where Apple is a major constituent.

Its performance shows that Friday's technology recovery is not benefiting every large technology company. While Nvidia is attracting buyers, Apple remains under pressure.

Tesla stock price today: TSLA rises 1.61% to $349.23

Tesla shares have gained $5.54, or 1.61%, to $349.23. The rise adds to the recovery among selected growth stocks.

However, Tesla's gains have not been enough to change the broader market direction. Investors are still assessing the impact of higher interest rates and uncertainty surrounding technology valuations.

October jobs report: 165,000 jobs put December Fed rate hike in focus

The US employment report has added another complication for Wall Street.

The economy added 165,000 jobs in October, well above expectations of around 70,000. The unemployment rate declined to 4.1% from 4.2%.

Labour force participation increased to 61.9%. Average hourly earnings rose 0.4% month over month and 3.1% year over year. Employment figures for August and September were also revised higher by a combined 84,000.

The strong jobs data suggests that the US labour market remains stronger than expected. This could give the Federal Reserve less reason to cut interest rates and increase the possibility of another rate hike in December.

Higher interest rates are a concern for technology stocks because they can reduce the value investors place on future earnings.

Why is Wall Street still volatile after Thursday's $2.3 trillion sell-off?

Thursday's sell-off erased around $2.3 trillion in market value. Concerns about slower data centre construction, uncertainty over AI spending and possible regulatory challenges following the Democrats' election victories triggered heavy selling.

Friday's rebound has offered some relief, but investors have not returned to buying everything. Nvidia and selected semiconductor stocks are recovering, Apple is lower, and the Dow remains in the red.