NEW YORK (AP) — Wall Street is holding steady as pressure from the bond market eases. The S&P 500 rose 0.2% Thursday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 29 points, and the Nasdaq composite added 0.1%. Treasury yields eased following the latest discouraging signals on the job market. Reports indicated weaker hiring among private employers last month and a potential increase in layoffs last week. Neither is flashing a recession, but a slowdown in the job market could push the Federal Reserve to cut its main interest rate for the first time this year in a couple weeks. A more comprehensive jobs report is due Friday.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.

Wall Street inched higher ahead of new jobs data this week that could influence the Federal Reserve's in

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