Dow futures make triple-digit jump on jobs report

U.S. stock-index futures added to gains on Friday after U.S. payrolls rose more sharply than expected in September, with the unemployment rate dropping to 5.9 percent.

"It's a good solid number, and August was revised upward. The key to the recovery is jobs and the economy keeps creating new jobs," said Jack Ablin, chief investment officer at BMO Private Bank.

The data had the economy creating 248,000 jobs in September, versus expectations of 215,000; the unemployment rate was expected to hold unchanged at 6.1 percent. The upbeat numbers included a 180,000 increase in August, larger than initially estimated.

"The market needed something tangible, some good news, so this is a a strong start heading into what could be a good earnings season," Ablin said.

Dow futures had been up more than 80 points just prior to the report.

The Federal Reserve is expected to announce the final round of quantitative easing tapering at its October meeting. It could lead to a later start to interest rate hikes however, which are currently seen occurring in mid-2015.

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Also of interest on Friday is the service sector ISM for September at 10 a.m., where possible declines in business activity and new orders components could push the headline index lower. In addition, August's trade report is out.

No major companies are due to report earnings on Friday.

Stocks to watch on include BP, which asked on Thursday for a U.S. court to reconsider its ruling that the oil major was "grossly negligent" in the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill.