According to the report, the total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 175,000 last month compared to 240,000 estimated by Dow Jones. This represents a steep decline compared to March, when 315,000 jobs were added, dwarfing the expected gain of 205,000.

The expectations were that the unemployment rate would remain steady at 3.8%, but April brought an uptick to 3.9%. Additionally, the wage gains also didn’t fare as estimated, rising 0.2% from March and 3.9% compared to the same period in 2023.

The cooldown of the job market is something that the Federal Reserve will likely look at as a sign that their interest rate policies are producing the desired results. With a slower labor market, the Fed will come closer to its goal of taming inflation and bringing it to 2%.

“Demand is still strong — the demand side of the labor market, in particular,” Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said earlier this week. “But it’s cooled from its extremely high level of a couple of years ago.”

The post U.S. Job Gains Reach Lowest Level in 6 Months, Unemployment Rate on the Rise appeared first on theprimarymarket.com.

303,000 jobs were added in March, vastly outperforming the rise of 205,000 that was predicted by Wall Street analysts. The unemployment rate declined from 3.9% to 3.8% on a monthly basis. The main source of growth came from the healthcare industry, which added 72,300 jobs, followed by 71,000 government jobs.

In commodities, oil prices rose on the back of rising Middle East tensions, threatening to bottleneck supplies. West Texas Intermediate futures rose to $86.60 per barrel, while international benchmark Brent crude futures rose past $91 per barrel.

The post Positive Jobs Report Lifts U.S. Stocks appeared first on theprimarymarket.com.

The benchmark S&P 500 slumped by 0.7%, retreating from another record close on Thursday, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 0.2% lower. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite tanked by 1.2%, with heavy-hitting chipmaker Nvidia retreating by over 5% to retreat from a record-breaking rally.

With the February jobs report beating expectations, the latest employment data has boosted investors’ confidence that the Federal Reserve will introduce interest rate cuts later in the year, with the latest expectations being that the central bank will implement its first cut after its June meeting.

The post Stocks Falter Following Stronger-Than-Expected Jobs Report appeared first on theprimarymarket.com.

Nonfarm payrolls are expected to rise by 200,000 in February, while the unemployment rate is expected to hold steady at 3.7%, as was the case in January. In January, 353,000 jobs were added to the economy, meaning that a slowdown in hiring over February is expected. The average weekly hours worked for February is expected to be 34.3, compared to 34.1 in January. On a monthly basis, average hourly earnings are expected to rise by 0.2%, compared to a 0.6% increase in January. On a yearly basis, average hourly earnings are expected to rise by 4.3%, compared to a 4.5% rise in January.

Oxford Economics lead U.S. economist Nancy Vanden Houten believes that this jobs report would encourage the Federal Reserve to introduce interest rate cuts as early as May if it meets analysts’ expectations. “After an overheated surge in January, we expect a cooler, but still solid, pace of job growth in February and expect the spike in earnings growth to be reversed. A report that is stronger than we forecasted would raise the risk that the first Federal Reserve rate cut comes later than May, which is currently our baseline,” she wrote in a note to clients.

The post Jobs Report Expected to Show Hiring Slowdown appeared first on theprimarymarket.com.

During Powell’s address to the U.S. House and Senate on Wednesday, the Fed president is expected to provide an update on the state of the U.S. economy as well as the status of the central bank’s fight against inflation. Investors will also be on the lookout for clues as to when the Fed will consider implementing interest rate cuts.

February’s jobs report is expected to show that 190,000 nonfarm payrolls were added for the month, with unemployment expected to remain at a level of 3.7%, constant with January’s figure.

The post Investors Brace for February Jobs Report and Fed Chair Testimony appeared first on theprimarymarket.com.

Among the strongest risers on Friday was Amazon.com, jumping by 7.1% after far exceeding its quarterly profit expectations. Meta Platforms skyrocketed by 17% in premarket trading while Snap Inc. gained 5.8%. Apple Inc. slipped marginally after its earnings in China faltered.

In this month’s US jobs report, Bloomberg economists are expecting to see the US unemployment rate rise from 3.7% in December to 3.8%. A cooling labor market could encourage the Federal Reserve to consider an interest rate cut sooner than expected.

The post Stocks Rise Ahead of Jobs Data appeared first on theprimarymarket.com.

In Europe, the benchmark Stoxx Europe 600 slipped 0.6%, while in New York, futures on the S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average declined by 0.2%. Contracts listed on the Nasdaq 100 fell by 0.2%. The MSCI Asia Pacific Index remained relatively unchanged.

Friday’s nonfarm payrolls are expected to show strong figures, thus suggesting that markets have been overconfident when it comes to expecting Fed rate cuts, with investors broadly betting on a rate cut as soon as March. “In the lead-up to the upcoming US job numbers, sentiment is back to wait-and-see,” Jun Rong Yeap, a strategist at IG Asia observed, suggesting that investors have learned of their excessive optimism. “We may have to see a substantial weakening of the US labor market to justify market pricing of a rate cut as early as March.”

The post Futures Slip Ahead of Key U.S. Jobs Data appeared first on theprimarymarket.com.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 0.3% on Friday, while the Nasdaq Composite advanced nearly 0.5%. The S&P 500 ended the session 0.4% higher, reaching its highest level this year.

In November, 199,000 new jobs were added to the US economy, with the number growing after auto worker and Hollywood actor strikes came to an end. This data largely boosted investor optimism that the Federal Reserve will introduce interest rate cuts next year. In commodities, oil prices recovered slightly but remain on course to their longest run of losses in five years. West Texas Intermediate and Brent crude futures both gained 2%.

The post Stocks Hit Six-Week Winning Streak Following Strong Jobs Report appeared first on theprimarymarket.com.

“We expect the November employment report to show an acceleration in job growth, driven by the return of striking UAW and SAG-AFTRA workers,” Oxford Economics lead US economist Nancy Vanden Houten explained in reference to Hollywood workers who have been on strike. “Looking through strike-related noise, we expect the jobs report to be consistent with softening labor market conditions, allowing the Fed to forego more rate increases.

As data continues to point to a loosening labor market and cooling inflation, investors are increasingly betting that the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates early next year. Fed Chair Jerome Powell acknowledged in a speech on December 1 that the economy is slowing toward a “more sustainable level”.

The post November Jobs Report Expected to Show Resurging Job Growth appeared first on theprimarymarket.com.

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics found that the US labor market slowed in October, with job openings declining from 8.73 million to 9.35 million in September. This is also a decline from last October’s 10.47 million openings. The number of hires remained relatively stagnant at 5.9 million, as did total separations, at 5.6 million. 3.6 million workers quit their jobs while 1.6 million were subject to layoffs and discharges.

Further job market insights will be delivered to observers later in the week, with ADP private payroll numbers to be released on Wednesday while the monthly jobs report will be available on Friday, which the Federal Reserve is expected to scour in preparation for its next policy meeting.

The post Stocks Continue to Stammer Amid Jobs Data appeared first on theprimarymarket.com.

According to the report, the total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 175,000 last month compared to 240,000 estimated by Dow Jones. This represents a steep decline compared to March, when 315,000 jobs were added, dwarfing the expected gain of 205,000.

The expectations were that the unemployment rate would remain steady at 3.8%, but April brought an uptick to 3.9%. Additionally, the wage gains also didn’t fare as estimated, rising 0.2% from March and 3.9% compared to the same period in 2023.

The cooldown of the job market is something that the Federal Reserve will likely look at as a sign that their interest rate policies are producing the desired results. With a slower labor market, the Fed will come closer to its goal of taming inflation and bringing it to 2%.

“Demand is still strong — the demand side of the labor market, in particular,” Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said earlier this week. “But it’s cooled from its extremely high level of a couple of years ago.”

The post U.S. Job Gains Reach Lowest Level in 6 Months, Unemployment Rate on the Rise appeared first on theprimarymarket.com.

303,000 jobs were added in March, vastly outperforming the rise of 205,000 that was predicted by Wall Street analysts. The unemployment rate declined from 3.9% to 3.8% on a monthly basis. The main source of growth came from the healthcare industry, which added 72,300 jobs, followed by 71,000 government jobs.

In commodities, oil prices rose on the back of rising Middle East tensions, threatening to bottleneck supplies. West Texas Intermediate futures rose to $86.60 per barrel, while international benchmark Brent crude futures rose past $91 per barrel.

The post Positive Jobs Report Lifts U.S. Stocks appeared first on theprimarymarket.com.

The benchmark S&P 500 slumped by 0.7%, retreating from another record close on Thursday, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 0.2% lower. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite tanked by 1.2%, with heavy-hitting chipmaker Nvidia retreating by over 5% to retreat from a record-breaking rally.

With the February jobs report beating expectations, the latest employment data has boosted investors’ confidence that the Federal Reserve will introduce interest rate cuts later in the year, with the latest expectations being that the central bank will implement its first cut after its June meeting.

The post Stocks Falter Following Stronger-Than-Expected Jobs Report appeared first on theprimarymarket.com.

Nonfarm payrolls are expected to rise by 200,000 in February, while the unemployment rate is expected to hold steady at 3.7%, as was the case in January. In January, 353,000 jobs were added to the economy, meaning that a slowdown in hiring over February is expected. The average weekly hours worked for February is expected to be 34.3, compared to 34.1 in January. On a monthly basis, average hourly earnings are expected to rise by 0.2%, compared to a 0.6% increase in January. On a yearly basis, average hourly earnings are expected to rise by 4.3%, compared to a 4.5% rise in January.

Oxford Economics lead U.S. economist Nancy Vanden Houten believes that this jobs report would encourage the Federal Reserve to introduce interest rate cuts as early as May if it meets analysts’ expectations. “After an overheated surge in January, we expect a cooler, but still solid, pace of job growth in February and expect the spike in earnings growth to be reversed. A report that is stronger than we forecasted would raise the risk that the first Federal Reserve rate cut comes later than May, which is currently our baseline,” she wrote in a note to clients.

The post Jobs Report Expected to Show Hiring Slowdown appeared first on theprimarymarket.com.

During Powell’s address to the U.S. House and Senate on Wednesday, the Fed president is expected to provide an update on the state of the U.S. economy as well as the status of the central bank’s fight against inflation. Investors will also be on the lookout for clues as to when the Fed will consider implementing interest rate cuts.

February’s jobs report is expected to show that 190,000 nonfarm payrolls were added for the month, with unemployment expected to remain at a level of 3.7%, constant with January’s figure.

The post Investors Brace for February Jobs Report and Fed Chair Testimony appeared first on theprimarymarket.com.

Among the strongest risers on Friday was Amazon.com, jumping by 7.1% after far exceeding its quarterly profit expectations. Meta Platforms skyrocketed by 17% in premarket trading while Snap Inc. gained 5.8%. Apple Inc. slipped marginally after its earnings in China faltered.

In this month’s US jobs report, Bloomberg economists are expecting to see the US unemployment rate rise from 3.7% in December to 3.8%. A cooling labor market could encourage the Federal Reserve to consider an interest rate cut sooner than expected.

The post Stocks Rise Ahead of Jobs Data appeared first on theprimarymarket.com.

In Europe, the benchmark Stoxx Europe 600 slipped 0.6%, while in New York, futures on the S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average declined by 0.2%. Contracts listed on the Nasdaq 100 fell by 0.2%. The MSCI Asia Pacific Index remained relatively unchanged.

Friday’s nonfarm payrolls are expected to show strong figures, thus suggesting that markets have been overconfident when it comes to expecting Fed rate cuts, with investors broadly betting on a rate cut as soon as March. “In the lead-up to the upcoming US job numbers, sentiment is back to wait-and-see,” Jun Rong Yeap, a strategist at IG Asia observed, suggesting that investors have learned of their excessive optimism. “We may have to see a substantial weakening of the US labor market to justify market pricing of a rate cut as early as March.”

The post Futures Slip Ahead of Key U.S. Jobs Data appeared first on theprimarymarket.com.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 0.3% on Friday, while the Nasdaq Composite advanced nearly 0.5%. The S&P 500 ended the session 0.4% higher, reaching its highest level this year.

In November, 199,000 new jobs were added to the US economy, with the number growing after auto worker and Hollywood actor strikes came to an end. This data largely boosted investor optimism that the Federal Reserve will introduce interest rate cuts next year. In commodities, oil prices recovered slightly but remain on course to their longest run of losses in five years. West Texas Intermediate and Brent crude futures both gained 2%.

The post Stocks Hit Six-Week Winning Streak Following Strong Jobs Report appeared first on theprimarymarket.com.

“We expect the November employment report to show an acceleration in job growth, driven by the return of striking UAW and SAG-AFTRA workers,” Oxford Economics lead US economist Nancy Vanden Houten explained in reference to Hollywood workers who have been on strike. “Looking through strike-related noise, we expect the jobs report to be consistent with softening labor market conditions, allowing the Fed to forego more rate increases.

As data continues to point to a loosening labor market and cooling inflation, investors are increasingly betting that the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates early next year. Fed Chair Jerome Powell acknowledged in a speech on December 1 that the economy is slowing toward a “more sustainable level”.

The post November Jobs Report Expected to Show Resurging Job Growth appeared first on theprimarymarket.com.

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics found that the US labor market slowed in October, with job openings declining from 8.73 million to 9.35 million in September. This is also a decline from last October’s 10.47 million openings. The number of hires remained relatively stagnant at 5.9 million, as did total separations, at 5.6 million. 3.6 million workers quit their jobs while 1.6 million were subject to layoffs and discharges.

Further job market insights will be delivered to observers later in the week, with ADP private payroll numbers to be released on Wednesday while the monthly jobs report will be available on Friday, which the Federal Reserve is expected to scour in preparation for its next policy meeting.

The post Stocks Continue to Stammer Amid Jobs Data appeared first on theprimarymarket.com.