NEW YORK: US stocks oscillated between gains and losses on Friday after data showed US jobs rose far less than expected in September, but not slow enough to throw the Federal Reserve off its presumed course of tapering asset purchases this year.

Six of the 11 major S&P sectors declined, with defensive real estate, healthcare and utilities among the top losers.

The energy sector jumped 2.9%, while a rise in mega-cap growth shares Microsoft, Facebook Inc and Bank of America provided the biggest boost to the S&P 500.

The banking sub-index gained 0.7%, tracking a rise in the benchmark 10-year Treasury yield to its highest level since June 4.

The tech-heavy Nasdaq was weighed down by declines in shares of broadband and cable operator Charter Communications Inc and media company Comcast Corp which fell 4.6% and 3.3%, respectively, after downbeat brokerage actions.