NEW YORK — Expectations that the Federal Reserve will be slow to raise interest rates following a weak jobs report last week helped send the stock market up Monday. A jump in the price of crude oil set off a rally in energy stocks. The stock market was closed Friday when the Labor Department reported that employers added just 126,000 workers to their payrolls in March, the smallest increase since December 2013. It was another sign of weaker economic growth in the winter months and added more pressure on the Federal Reserve to put off raising rates from near zero. Historically low rates have helped stocks soar over the past six years.

David Lefkowitz, senior equity strategist at UBS, said calming words from William Dudley, president of the Fed’s New York branch, gave investors encouragement. In a speech Monday morning, Dudley pointed to the recent shaky economic news and said he expects the Fed’s rate increases would be “shallow.”

“If Fed officials think the economy is not strong enough, they’re not going to do anything to jeopardize the economic recovery,” Lefkowitz said. “With inflation low and well-contained the Fed can be patient. There’s nothing forcing their hand.”