(Il Sole 24 Ore Radiocor) - Milano, 6 mar - US shares were off session lows but continued trading lower at midday after a key jobs report came in well short of expectations and oil prices continued to slide amid escalating violence in the Middle East.

The February payrolls report unexpectedly fell by 92,000, easily missing expectations for a rise of 55,000, an indication the US jobs market continues to struggle. The unemployment rate also rose to 4.4% from 4.3% the previous month.

Meanwhile, as the conflict between the US and Iran entered its seventh day, US president Donald Trump said there would be no deal to end the US war against Iran without an 'unconditional surrender' by Iran.

Trump also said he would work to bring Iran back making it 'economically bigger, better, and stronger than ever before.' Oil continued to surge with the WTI benchmark rising 9.81% to 88.96 dollars per barrel. Qatar's energy minister told the Financial Times today that Gulf energy producers may be forced to call force majeure on production in coming days in a move that could take oil prices to 150 dollars a barrel.

At 1618 GMT, the Dow Jones was down 453.19 points, or 0.95%, at 47,501.55 points.

The S&P 500 was 61.66 points, or 0.90%, lower at 6,769.05 points.

The Nasdaq was losing 170.10 points, or 0.75%, at 22,578.89.

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(RADIOCOR) 06-03-26 17:20:58 (0486) 5 NNNN