Weaker than expected jobs figures have pulled the share market lower.

The unemployment rate held steady at 6.2 per cent in October, with the total number of people with jobs rising 24,100.

Economists were expecting the unemployment rate to fall to 6.1 per cent in October, with 10,000 jobs added.

The local market opened higher after Wall Street hit fresh highs, but the jobs figures then weighed on prices.

“After the jobs data came through and missed expectations we’ve been trading lower,” Bell Direct equities analyst Leanne Jones said.

Financial stocks were the worst performers, and there was also weakness in the resources sector.

Commonwealth Bank was down 74 cents at $80.82, Westpac had fallen 43 cents to $34.16, ANZ had lost 23 cents to $33.56 and National Australia Bank was 26 cents weaker at $34.16.

BHP Billiton was up six cents at $33.88, Rio Tinto had added 19 cents to $60.35, while iron ore miner Fortescue Metals was down 11 cents at $31.90.

Gold miners were weaker, with Newcrest down 14 cents at $8.64 and OceanaGold 11 cents weaker at $1.835.

Energy stocks were higher after oil prices rebounded slightly, with Woodside Petroleum up 56 cents at $40.20, Santos up 11 cents at $12.62 and Oil Search up 12 cents at $8.62.

Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp had gained $1.11, or 6.5 per cent, to $18.07 after a lift in its first quarter earnings.

KEY FACTS

* At 1237 AEDT on Thursday, the benchmark S&P/ASX200 index was down 3.6 points, or 0.07 per cent, at 5,514.3.

* The broader All Ordinaries index was down 3.8 points, or 0.07 per cent, at 5,489.

* The December share price index futures contract was six points lower at 5,498, with 14,288 contracts traded.

* National turnover was 858 million securities worth $2.3 billion.