The U.S. economy is forecasted to be growing rapidly, which is causing concern for the Federal Reserve and those hoping for low interest rates.
US payroll growth in the year through March may have been weaker than originally reported, with estimates suggesting there were 500,000 fewer jobs than previously stated, potentially impacting the Federal Reserve's decision on further rate hikes.
The US economy shows signs of slowing towards the end of summer, with the services-sector index falling to a six-month low and the manufacturing-sector index remaining in negative territory, suggesting a near-stall in business activity and raising doubts about the strength of economic growth in Q3.
U.S. business activity in August approached stagnation, with the weakest growth since February and a contraction in the service sector, indicating a more tepid economic outlook than previously thought.
Wall Street's major averages rebounded with growth in communication services and technology sectors, while Treasury yields sank as a recent bond sell-off eased; traders are now waiting for Nvidia's quarterly results to gauge the AI market, and investors are hopeful for potential interest rate policy clues from the upcoming Jackson Hole Symposium.
U.S. equity markets rallied as tech stocks gained and Netflix shares rose on strong subscriber growth, while Foot Locker and oil stocks struggled; U.S. Treasury yields and the dollar fell, while cryptocurrency prices rebounded.
The flash surveys from S&P Global show a slowdown in US manufacturing and services sectors, raising concerns about economic growth in the third quarter and indicating a possible contraction in September due to weak demand and rising input costs.
Employment growth in the US likely cooled and wage increases moderated in August, reducing the urgency for another interest-rate hike by the Federal Reserve and tempering inflation risks.
US equity markets were relatively stagnant last week, with major indexes trading up and down around their 200-day moving averages, indicating a lack of direction and potential resistance, while Treasury markets appeared to stabilize despite an inverted yield curve, suggesting a potential recession on the horizon. Fed Chair Jerome Powell's hawkish speech on Friday emphasized the need for caution and the possibility of higher interest rates, while Nvidia's strong earnings highlighted the company's dominance in the artificial intelligence sector.
The number of job openings in the US fell to 8.8 million at the end of July, indicating a slowing economy, with declines seen in professional and business services, healthcare, and state and local government sectors, while the information industry and transportation saw increases in job openings. Additionally, consumer confidence dipped in August as Americans grew more concerned about rising prices of gas and groceries, and home prices continued to increase in June.
The number of job vacancies in the US dropped in July, indicating a cooling labor market that could alleviate inflation, while fewer Americans quit their jobs and consumer confidence in the economy decreased, potentially impacting consumer spending; these trends may lead the Federal Reserve to delay a rate hike in September.
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell's recent speech outlined three tests for incoming data to prevent further rate hikes, and the Job Openings and Labor Turnover survey revealed a decrease in job openings, leading to a rise in the S&P 500 and a decline in the 10-year Treasury yield.
Wall Street rallied as Tesla, Nvidia, and other megacap growth stocks surged, supported by a drop in job openings and expectations of a pause in interest rate hikes by the U.S. Federal Reserve.
Stocks rally as job openings decline in July, bonds rally on softening job market and odds of interest rate pause, court rules SEC needs more reasoning to block Grayscale's Bitcoin ETF, and other market movements.
US job openings fell to the lowest level in nearly 2.5 years in July, indicating a gradual slowdown in the labor market and increasing expectations that the Federal Reserve will not raise interest rates next month.
Job creation in the United States slowed more than expected in August, a sign that the resilient economy might be starting to ease under pressure from higher interest rates.
Wall Street is experiencing small gains and losses as investors await economic news, including an inflation indicator and more jobs data; markets rallied after consumer confidence dropped in August and job openings fell, potentially reducing inflation and deterring the Fed from raising interest rates.
Stocks are expected to rally next month, with the S&P 500 potentially reaching its previous highs, according to Fundstrat's Tom Lee, who cited reasons such as a cooling economy, no further interest rate hikes from the Fed, overly bearish sentiment in August, and historically strong performance in September.
UBS reports higher than expected profits, job creation in the US slows, and markets rally on weaker economic data and hope for a pause in interest rate hikes. China's factory activity shrinks but at a slower pace, while retail sales increase. There are opportunities for investors in other Asian markets.
U.S. job growth is slowing down but remains steady, with the unemployment rate settling at 3.5% in July and predictions that the August jobs report will show similar results, although concerns remain regarding potential slowdowns and negative growth.
Wall Street extends rally and dollar rebounds on the last trading day of August as inflation data suggests the Federal Reserve will pause on interest rate hikes.
The August jobs report is highly anticipated as investors assess the health of the labor market amidst rising interest rates and inflation, with projections indicating an increase in hiring and a steady unemployment rate, but potential disruptions from ongoing strikes and bankruptcies could affect the data. The report is closely watched by the Federal Reserve for signs of labor market softening as they grapple with inflation, and while the labor market has remained tight, there are indications of a gradual slowdown. Job openings have decreased, along with resignations, pointing to a labor market that is cooling.
Wall Street ended a challenging August on a mixed note, with the Dow Jones down 0.5%, the S&P 500 losing 0.16%, and the Nasdaq gaining 0.11%, resulting in the worst monthly performance since earlier this year; however, signs of a soft landing for the US economy and lower jobless claims have sparked hopes that the Fed may ease off on interest rate hikes at its upcoming meeting.
Job creation in the American labor market is expected to slow down in August, with the addition of approximately 170,000 jobs, reflecting a mild cooling of employment growth and wage growth, as well as the impact of higher interest rates on hiring; the recent strikes in the film industry, although not a significant direct employer, are likely to have some impact on the jobs numbers, particularly those related to on-set production and support roles.
The US added 187,000 jobs in August, but the unemployment rate rose to 3.8 percent, indicating a plateau in the labor market as the Federal Reserve considers another interest rate hike.
U.S. stocks rose after August jobs data showed a slowdown in the pace of job gains, calming investor concerns about the Federal Reserve raising interest rates, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average rising 0.5%, the S&P 500 up 0.4%, and the Nasdaq Composite gaining 0.3%.
Summary: The stock market shows signs of a rally, with major indexes surpassing the 50-day line and Treasury yields decreasing, growth stocks are leading, and software companies like Salesforce, MongoDB, and CrowdStrike reporting positive earnings; meanwhile, Amazon and Shopify announce a deeper partnership, and Tesla unveils an upgraded Model 3 while also lowering prices. Additionally, a near-perfect jobs report and tamed inflation data suggest that the Fed may not continue with rate hikes.
The US job market is cooling down, with signs of weakening and a slowdown in momentum, which may allow the Federal Reserve to ease inflation pressure through weaker job creation and reduced demand.
The S&P 500 rally is expected to fade as economic data supports a higher for longer monetary policy, with weaker job opening data and ADP job report sending rates down and a strong job report and ISM data pushing rates higher, creating challenges for the stock market as financial conditions tighten and leading to lower levels.
Bank of America's technical strategist believes that despite historically poor September performance, the S&P 500's year-to-date rally positions it for further gains, with the potential for an 8% climb by the end of the year.
The S&P 500 had a good week, rising 2.5% and coming 1.6% below the 2023 high-water mark set in July; however, there is a possibility of a recession if the Fed keeps rates high for longer than necessary.
The U.S. economy experienced modest growth in July and August, driven by pent-up demand for leisure activities, while nonessential retail sales slowed, according to the Federal Reserve's "Beige Book" survey.
US stocks are experiencing their worst performance in September since 1928, but there are signs that the market could avoid a steep downturn this year, with indicators suggesting more stability and positive gains for the rest of the year, according to Mark Hackett, chief of research at US investment firm Nationwide. However, challenges such as elevated oil prices and inflation could put strain on the stock market and the US economy.
U.S. stock investors are closely watching next week's inflation data, which may determine the future of the equity rally, as signs of a soft landing for the U.S. economy have contributed to the S&P 500's gains, but too high inflation could lead to fears of higher interest rates and stock sell-offs.
The Wall Street Journal reports a notable shift in the stance of Federal Reserve officials regarding interest rates, with some officials now seeing risks as more balanced due to easing inflation and a less overheated labor market, which could impact the timing of future rate hikes. In other news, consumer credit growth slows in July, China and Japan reduce holdings of U.S. Treasury securities to record lows, and Russia's annual inflation rate reached 5.2% in August 2023.
