Wall Street Leaps, Nearly Escapes Its Bear Market After Strong Jobs Report

NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks rushed higher after a strong report on the U.S. job market eased Wall Street’s worries about a possible recession. The S&P 500 jumped 1.5% Friday, while the Dow soared 701 points. The rally brought the S&P 500 nearly 20% above a low hit in October. It’s on the edge of entering a new bull market. The rally built after a report showed unexpectedly strong hiring last month. At the same time, increases for workers’ pay slowed. That could mean the economy remains strong enough to avoid a recession without adding too much upward pressure on inflation.