TheStreet Live

U.S. stocks fell on Friday, following a weaker-than-expected April jobs report. The economy added 160,000 jobs during the month - missing expectations of 200,000. The labor force participation rate fell to 62.8 percent from 63 percent in March. Average hourly earnings rose 2.5 percent year-over-year, ahead of the 2.4 percent growth economists were looking for. 'It's weaker than any of us expected,' said Jerry Webman, chief economist at OppenheimerFunds, adding that he wasn't surprised given the weaker ADP Employment Report released earlier in the week. Meanwhile, oil prices were volatile, but fell slightly to around $43 a barrel after a rally on Thursday. Two factors affecting oil production include Canadian wildfires, which have expanded over the past day, and violence in Libya. Health insurance giant Cigna reported quarterly earnings of $2.32 a share, beating estimates of $2.15. Revenue of $9.9 billion rose 4.4 percent year-over-year, but fell short of the $10 billion analysts were looking for. The company raised its full year earnings outlook. TheStreet's Scott Gamm reports from Wall Street.

Stocks followed crude oil higher as both a massive Canadian wildfire and fighting in Libya threatened disrupted output. The energy sector was the best performer on Wall Street. Weight Watchers rose after increasing its full-year outlook. The weight loss company in which Oprah Winfrey holds a 10% stake reported a bump in membership in its first quarter, its first increase in four years. Fitbit slumped after issuing a disappointing second-quarter outlook. The fitness tracker company spent heavily to drive sales in its recent quarter. SeaWorld fell as ballooning expenses and declining theme park attendance caused first-quarter losses to widen. The aquatic theme park has endured roughly three years of harsh criticism over the captivity and breeding programs of its orcas.

U.S. stocks rose on Thursday as oil prices eclipsed $45 a barrel. A Canadian wildfire and conflict in Libya are set to interrupt production. Libya production could drop by 120,000 barrels a day, as militant groups have blocked oil tankers from moving. Meanwhile, weekly jobless claims rose by 17,000 over the past week to 274,000. The increased pushed the four week average up by 2,000 to 258,000. Alibaba reported better than expected fourth quarter revenue which rose 39 percent year-over-year as the company grew its user base. The upbeat quarter downplayed fears about China's slowing economy. 'Most would be considerably downbeat on the Chinese economy, but Alibaba seems to have bucked the trend as the company has beaten expectations across the board,' said Brenda Kelly, head analyst at London Capital Group. Plus, Merck beat first quarter earnings on the bottom line and raised its full year earnings outlook to a range of $3.65 to $3.77 a share, compared to a previously reported $3.65 to $3.75. Revenue for the company's new hepatitis C drug came in short of estimates. TheStreet's Scott Gamm reports from Wall Street.

Oil is higher this morning for a few different reasons. Wildfires in a Canadian oil town could threaten production and shipments from that area. Also, fighting in Libya could disrupt its oil production. Oil production in the United States has fallen 8% since mid-2015. Tesla

Stocks were slightly lower, retreating from earlier gains, as focus turned to Friday's April jobs report. The pace of job growth is expected to have slowed but economists are mixed on exactly by how much. Whole Foods reported another quarterly decline in comparable-store sales, its third quarter in a row, as competition among supermarket chains heats up. Same-store sales declined 3% in the quarter ended April 10, a drop that was steeper than expected. Zynga jumped after narrowing net losses and cutting costs in its recent quarter. The developer of online games such as 'FarmVille' and 'Words With Friends' decreased total costs and expenses by 10%. L Brands tumbled after issuing a disappointing sales update for its first quarter.

Wall Street was down in the dumps for day two as investors fretted over a laundry list of worries. Concerns included an oil supply glut, increased chances of a disappointing April jobs numbers on Friday, and a weaker global economy. Tesla slipped after two C-suite executives resigned. Both the vice president of production and VP of manufacturing will leave the company. Shares were already lower after investor Jim Chanos said in a CNBC interview that he was short the automaker. As many anticipated, Aeropostale has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The embattled teen retailer also detailed plans to close 154 stores in the U.S. and Canada. Dish Network is urging the Federal Communications Commission to block Verizon's nearly $2 billion purchase of XO Communication's fiber-optic unit.

Stocks remained lower despite factory orders in March rebounding at a faster-than-expected pace. Orders jumped more than 1%, a relief to a battered manufacturing sector which has suffered from a stronger dollar and weaker global economy. The ISM Non-Manufacturing Index enjoyed a better April than expected. Strong gains in the new orders and employment components helped to drive the increase. Crude prices lost gains after a weekly read on U.S. stockpiles showed a greater-than-expected increase in the past week. Time Warner rose after growth at Turner Broadcasting and HBO boosted quarterly earnings. Revenue at its Warner Brothers studio took a hit, though, as its 'Batman v Superman' blockbuster failed to match strong showings from 'American Sniper' and 'The Hobbit' a year earlier.

U.S. stocks slumped on Wednesday, following disappointing jobs data. The ADP employment report showed only 156,000 jobs were created in the private sector in April, missing estimates of 193,000. This report tends to foreshadow what is to come in Friday's jobs report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Mining companies BHP Billiton and Vale were hit with a $45 billion lawsuit stemming from a dam collapse in Brazil that killed over a dozen people back in November. Etsy shares surged after posting an unexpected profit in its first quarter. Net income stood at $0.01 a share, while analysts were expecting a loss of $0.02. This is its first quarterly profit since its debut as a public company in April of last year. TheStreet's Scott Gamm reports from Wall Street.

Focus turned toward the global economy and the picture wasn't a pretty one. Weak Chinese factory activity, lower growth expectations from the European Commission, and a Reserve Bank of Australia rate cut combined to spook investors. Fitbit fell after Pacific Crest analysts reaffirmed their bearish forecast on the company's long-term prospects. The firm said it does foresee strong near-term demand trends, but does not anticipate sustainable growth in wearable trackers in the longer-term. Food delivery company Grubhub reported a 6% drop in first-quarter earnings, which missed expectations. Twitter hit an all-time low of just under $14 a share on Tuesday, nearly half its 2013 IPO price.

Stocks extended losses after fears spiked China's economy could be in trouble. Factory activity in the world's second largest economy remained in contraction territory for its 14th month in a row in April. Carmakers appeared to rebound from weakness in March, though record levels achieved last year made for tough comparisons. Ford sales rose, though at a far weaker pace, and General Motors reported a steeper-than-expected decline. Meanwhile, Fiat Chrysler blew them both away after reporting its strongest April in 11 years. Aeropostale tumbled on reports it is preparing to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection this week.