25 compared to 1,973.16 a day earlier. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index picked up 13.40 points to end trading at 1,010.48 - a 1.34 percent rise from Thursday's finish at 997.08.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average got a 1.23 per-cent bump, gaining 113.81 points to close at 9,370.07 points. The Dow Jones was at 9,256.26 when the closing bell rang Thursday.

President Barack Obama had earlier declared the slowing pace of job loss a sign his economic stimulus plan is working and that 'the worst may be behind us'.

'We are pointed in the right direction,' he said.

On currency markets, the US dollar posted a gain on the euro, finishing at 70.50 euro cents from 69.64 euro cents Thursday. The dollar was also up on the yen to 97.57 from 95.43 yen the previous day.