国际英语新闻：U.S. stocks halt three-week losing streak

Even more encouraging was that private sector added a total of 67,000 new jobs last month, given that figures of previous two months have been upwardly revised.

Meanwhile, the unemployment rose to 9.6 percent from July's 9.5 percent, in line with market expectation, showing the economic recovery was still fragile.

The upbeat jobs report sent the dollar falling; and the Japanese Yen, often seen as a safer investment, also lost some steam against the dollar.

In late Friday trading, the euro rose to 1.2882 dollars from 1. 2812 dollars late Thursday, while the British pound gained to 1. 5449 dollars from 1.5389 dollars.

In other trading, the dollar rose to 84.43 Japanese yen from 84. 23 yen, edged higher to 1.0186 Swiss francs from 1.0146 francs but dipped lower to 1.0394 Canadian dollars from 1.0544 Canadian dollars on late Thursday.

A separate report indicated the U.S. services sector grew at a slower pace in August. The Institute for Supply Management said its service-sector index fell to 51.5 last month from 54.3 in July, while economists had expected a higher reading of 53.5.

Oil prices dipped as the disappointing service sector report and fading Hurricane Earl offset the better-than-expected jobs data.

Light, sweet crude for October delivery fell 42 cents to settle at 74.60 U.S. dollars a barrel in New York. Brent crude fell 26 cents to settle 76.67 dollars a barrel in London.