London (CNN Business) 1. Jobs report: The US economy added 304,000 jobs in January, a surprisingly strong month of hiring as employers continue to bring in new workers.

The unemployment rate ticked up slightly to 4%.

January was the 100th straight month of job gains. The government said there were "no discernible impacts" from the government shutdown on hiring and wages, but did contribute to the uptick in unemployment.

2. Trump's trade optimism: President Donald Trump was optimistic as another round of trade talks between the United States and China concluded on Thursday, saying a sweeping agreement was possible.

Still, Trump said he was prepared to enact new sanctions and increase existing ones if a deal isn't struck. And he suggested a handshake deal instead of a firmer agreement could extend negotiations beyond the month's end, though the White House later insisted March 1 was a "hard deadline."