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.

On a four-week average, jobless claims fell by 4,750 to 203,250; the lowest four-week average in almost a year. With weekly unemployment claims being viewed as a gauge for layoffs in a given week, the US labor market has remained unexpectedly strong despite steep interest rates and elevated inflation.

Although economists broadly expected the US economy to slip into a recession in late 2023, this was ultimately not the case, with the labor market remaining strong. The national unemployment has remained below 4% for 23 consecutive months; the longest streak since the 1960s.

The post Jobless Claims Hit Lowest Level Since September 2022 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.

Futures listed on the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.4% as did the S&P 500. Contracts on the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 advanced by 0.3%. All three indexes recovered from losses sustained earlier in the session.

150,000 jobs were added to the US economy in October, falling short of the 180,000 jobs that were expected to be added. The unemployment rate rose to 3.9%. According to the  Bureau of Labor Statistics, the fall in the pace of job growth was affected by auto industry strikes.

The post Stocks Jump Following Job Growth Cooldown appeared first on theprimarymarket.com.

Payrolls aside, hourly earnings rose at their slowest pace in over two years, largely a result of a growing labor force. This trend has raised expectations that the Federal Reserve will hold interest rates steady on Wednesday following their two-day policy meeting.

“Wage growth is a more accurate signal of labor-market conditions,” Bloomberg Economics observed. “Both the Fed’s preferred Employment Cost Index and average hourly earnings (part of the nonfarm-payrolls report) likely decelerated in recent months. That should give the Fed cover to keep rates on an extended pause.”

The post U.S. Job Growth Expected to Halt, Impacting Fed Decision 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.

On a four-week average, jobless claims fell by 4,750 to 203,250; the lowest four-week average in almost a year. With weekly unemployment claims being viewed as a gauge for layoffs in a given week, the US labor market has remained unexpectedly strong despite steep interest rates and elevated inflation.

Although economists broadly expected the US economy to slip into a recession in late 2023, this was ultimately not the case, with the labor market remaining strong. The national unemployment has remained below 4% for 23 consecutive months; the longest streak since the 1960s.

The post Jobless Claims Hit Lowest Level Since September 2022 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.

Futures listed on the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.4% as did the S&P 500. Contracts on the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 advanced by 0.3%. All three indexes recovered from losses sustained earlier in the session.

150,000 jobs were added to the US economy in October, falling short of the 180,000 jobs that were expected to be added. The unemployment rate rose to 3.9%. According to the  Bureau of Labor Statistics, the fall in the pace of job growth was affected by auto industry strikes.

The post Stocks Jump Following Job Growth Cooldown appeared first on theprimarymarket.com.

Payrolls aside, hourly earnings rose at their slowest pace in over two years, largely a result of a growing labor force. This trend has raised expectations that the Federal Reserve will hold interest rates steady on Wednesday following their two-day policy meeting.

“Wage growth is a more accurate signal of labor-market conditions,” Bloomberg Economics observed. “Both the Fed’s preferred Employment Cost Index and average hourly earnings (part of the nonfarm-payrolls report) likely decelerated in recent months. That should give the Fed cover to keep rates on an extended pause.”

The post U.S. Job Growth Expected to Halt, Impacting Fed Decision appeared first on theprimarymarket.com.