The materials sector, as measured by the XLB ETF, is trading up 1.50% in the current session. This move is likely part of a broader market rally following the release of a much weaker-than-expected September jobs report. The U.S. economy added significantly fewer jobs than anticipated, and the unemployment rate edged higher. This has led to investor speculation that the Federal Reserve may be less likely to pursue aggressive interest rate hikes, a positive for cyclical sectors like materials. A rise in gold prices may also be contributing to the sector's strength.