The Labor Department said unemployment dropped to 9.7 percent in January from 10 percent, but markets turned lower, anyway.
Improved economic data has not helped markets much of late, as analysts say a correction is in order after a March through December run-up.
The DJIA lost 38.69 points, 0.39 percent, to 9,963.49. The Standard & Poor's 500 lost 0.38 percent, 4.03 points, to 1,059.08. The Nasdaq composite index shed 0.27 percent, 5.69 points, to 2,119.74.
The benchmark 10-year U.S. Treasury bill rose 4/32 to yield 3.596 percent.
The euro fell to $1.3671 from Thursday's $1.3741. Against the yen, the dollar rose to 89.43 yen from Thursday's 88.93 yen.
In Japan, the Nikkei 225 index lost 2.89 percent, 298.89, to 10,057.09.
Copyright 2010 United Press International.
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