NEW YORK, Shawwal 04, 1437, July 09, 2016, SPA -- U.S. stocks surged Friday, finishing just short of record highs, as investors responded enthusiastically to a strong June job market report, according to AP. The buying accelerated throughout the day after the Labor Department said U.S. employers added 287,000 jobs last month. That was far more than analysts expected, and after weak reports from April and May, it suggests the economy and job market haven't run out of steam. The Dow Jones industrial average surged 250.86 points, or 1.4 percent, to 18,146.74. The S&P 500 rose 32 points, or 1.5 percent, to 2,129.90. The Nasdaq composite advanced 79.95 points, or 1.6 percent, to 4,956.76. --SPA 00:29 LOCAL TIME 21:29 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/w