The Nasdaq 100, tracked by the Invesco QQQ Trust (NASDAQ:QQQ), rose 1.3% to about 30,957 points by 10:16 a.m. ET on Friday, surpassing its Sept. 22 record close of 30,732.40. The index is up 22.4% in 2026. The Labor Department said the U.S. economy added 29,000 jobs in September, well below economists’ 90,000 forecast, while August payroll growth was revised down to 133,000 from 162,000. The weaker employment data quickly changed interest-rate expectations: markets priced an 18% chance of an October Federal Reserve rate hike, down from nearly 70% a week earlier, according to the CME FedWatch tool.