(CNBC) U.S. equities closed lower on Friday after the release of key employment data while investors braced themselves for the election next week.

The Dow Jones industrial average held flat, with Caterpillar contributing the most gains and Procter & Gamble the most losses. The S&P 500 gained 0.1 percent and was looking to snap an eight-day losing streak, with health care rising more than 1 percent to lead advancers and consumer staples leading decliners. The Nasdaq composite held just above breakeven.

"Nobody wants to do anything today. ... Everybody is on hold for Tuesday," said JJ Kinahan, chief strategist at TD Ameritrade. "I think next week you'll start seeing Wall Street coronate winners and losers. What I mean is you're going to start seeing investors switching sectors very quickly."

Read the full story ›