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Traders work on the floor at the New York Stock Exchange, May 8, 2013.BRENDAN MCDERMID/Reuters

North American markets capped off a mostly positive week higher Friday despite slightly disappointing job figures from Statistics Canada and a continuing retreat in commodity prices.

The S&P/TSX composite index was up 45.19 points to 12,589.09. The Canadian dollar lost 0.41 of a cent to 98.85 cents (U.S.)

Statistics Canada reported April's unemployment rate was unchanged at 7.2 per cent, as the economy added 12,500 new jobs.

The pickup last month helped take the sting out of March's massive 54,500 contraction, but was not enough to put job creation on the positive side of the ledger for 2013. Analysts had expected an addition of 15,000 jobs.

On Wall Street, the Dow Jones industrials index jumped 35.71 points to 15,118.33, while the Nasdaq climbed 27.41 points to 3,436.58. The S&P 500 gained 7.02 points to 1,633.69.

Meanwhile, commodities continue to fall. The June crude oil contract declined 35 cents to $96.04 (U.S.) a barrel, June gold bullion fell $32 to $1,436.60 an ounce and July copper was up a penny at $3.35 a pound.

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