Stocks gain quickly as European leaders vow plan

The statement served as the latest small piece of optimism to have recently come to financial markets, with stocks actually posting gains at the end of the previous week.

Amid concerns about the strength of the U.S. recovery, the Labor Department reported Friday that the economy added 103,000 jobs in September. While that number falls below the level needed to cut into the unemployment rate, which held steady at 9.1 percent, it beat economists’ expectations.

The boost also comes as companies begin to prepare releasing their third-quarter earnings, which should shine further light on how major U.S. companies have fared in the recent slowdown in the economic recovery. Alcoa Inc., which is the nation’s largest producer of aluminum, will start the season for Dow stocks on Tuesday.