The GovCon Index closed at a gain of 0.156 points to 71.953 Thursday as U.S. markets also ended the session in narrow range ahead of Friday’s employment report for August.
Economists polled by the Wall Street Journal expect the Labor Department to report nonfarm businesses added 220, 000 jobs in November and the unemployment rate to go down to 5.2 percent from 5.3 percent, the publication reported in its post-close report.
Investors will use the jobs data as a gauge to determine if the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates at its next meeting Sept. 16 and 17, according to the Journal.
Top Percentage Gainers
| Company | $ Current Price | $ Change | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Navistar International | 18.74 | +2.13 | +12.82% |
| Booz Allen Hamilton | 27.18 | +0.53 | +1.99% |
| Rockwell Collins | 82.10 | +1.14 | +1.41% |
| ManTech International | 26.56 | +0.31 | +1.18% |
| Raytheon | 104.53 | +1.15 | +1.11% |
Market Summary
| Advancing Issues | 18 (60.00%) |
| Declining Issues | 12 (30.00%) |
| Unchanged Issues | 0 |
| Index | Value | Net Change | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| GovCon Index | 71.953 | +0.156 | +0.217% |
| S&P 500 | 1, 951.13 | +2.27 | +0.12% |
| Dow Jones Industrial Average | 16, 374.38 | +23.38 | +0.14% |
| NASDAQ | 4, 733.50 | -16.48 | -0.35% |
