* Feb payrolls rise by 192,000, above expectations
* Crude gains as Libyan rebels near major oil terminal
* Wal-Mart edges higher after raised dividend
* Indexes: Dow flat, S&P down 0.1 pct, Nasdaq down 0.1 pct
* For up-to-the-minute market news see []
(Updates to open)
By Ryan Vlastelica
NEW YORK, March 4 (Reuters) - U.S. stocks fell slightly on
Friday as February's jobs report came in better than expected
but fell short of the most optimistic expectations.
Payrolls rose by 192,000 in the month, above the 185,000
gain expected by a Reuters poll, and the jobless rate
unexpectedly dipped to 8.9 percent from 9 percent. Strong data
earlier in the week fed optimism that the number would be above
200,000. For details, see []
Bets on big gains in payrolls pushed Wall Street to its
best one-day rally in three months on Thursday.
"The (jobs) number is pretty healthy and it points to
continued recovery, but yesterday's market action anticipated
that," said Hayes Miller, the Boston-based head of asset
allocation in North America at Baring Asset Management, which
oversees about $50.6 billion.
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To see a graphic on recent payroll reports, see:
http://r.reuters.com/gud48r
Reuters Insider video: Strong payrolls data & QE:
http://link.reuters.com/mub48r
Analysis-Finally, U.S. jobs data showing some consistency:
[]
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The Dow Jones industrial average <> was down 1.78
points, or 0.01 percent, at 12,256.42. The Standard & Poor's
500 Index <.SPX> was down 1.40 points, or 0.11 percent, at
1,329.57. The Nasdaq Composite Index <> was down 4.67
points, or 0.17 percent, at 2,794.07.
The ongoing strife in Libya and its impact on oil prices
will be another focus for investors as fighting intensified and
rebels advanced toward a major oil terminal. U.S. April crude
rose 1.4 percent <CLc1> while Brent crude futures <LCOc1> added
0.9 percent. []
Equities recently have had an inverse relationship with oil
prices on the concern that high energy costs could weigh on
economic activity.
Dow component Wal-Mart Stores Inc <WMT.N> raised its annual
dividend by 21 percent late on Thursday. The stock rose 0.3
percent to $52.19.
Data on January U.S. durable goods and factory orders will
be released at 10 a.m. (1500 GMT), with factory orders seen
rising 2 percent from December.
(Editing by Padraic Cassidy)
