US Payroll Growth Slows to 29,000 as French Debt Stress Keeps Markets on Edge

U.S. employers added only 29,000 jobs in September while unemployment rose to 4.2%, giving investors a softer labor-market signal just as French government debt was facing a sharp confidence test. The combination eased some immediate Federal Reserve rate-hike fears in U.S. markets, but it also kept attention on whether high borrowing costs and fiscal stress are becoming a broader market constraint.