U.S. stocks ended higher on Friday as investors focused on the bright side of a mixed payrolls report that showed smaller-than-expected job cuts in August, even though the unemployment rate hit a 26-year high.

For the week, though, stocks fell, with the Dow down 1.1 percent, the S&P 500 down 1.2 percent and the Nasdaq down 0.5 percent.

Based on the latest available data, the Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> ended Friday's session unofficially up 96.66 points, or 1.03 percent, at 9,441.27. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> was up 13.16 points, or 1.31 percent, at 1,016.40. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> was up 35.58 points, or 1.79 percent, to end unofficially at 2,018.78.

(Reporting by Caroline Valetkevitch; Editing by Jan Paschal)

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