The U.S. jobs market showed mixed signals in August, with nonfarm payrolls increasing by 187,000, slightly above expectations. However, the unemployment rate also rose from 3.5% to 3.8%, the highest since February 2023. This seemingly counterintuitive situation can be explained by the fact that a growing labor force contributed to the higher unemployment rate. More people started actively looking for jobs in August, leading to an increase in the proportion of job seekers relative to the total labor force.
The report also revealed that average hourly earnings increased by 4.3% year-on-year, slightly below the forecast of 4.4%. This suggests that while the labor market is still adding jobs, the wage growth remains moderate.
Despite these mixed signals, U.S. stocks reacted positively to the jobs report, with major indexes posting their best weekly performance in months. The S&P 500, Dow Jones Industrial Average, and Nasdaq Composite all saw gains, indicating investor confidence in the Federal Reserve’s likely decision to keep interest rates unchanged.
On the electric vehicle front, Tesla reduced its vehicle prices in the U.S. and China, leading to a 5% drop in its stock price. Meanwhile, BMW and Mercedes unveiled electric vehicle concepts, signaling their commitment to the EV market. However, Chinese EV companies continue to dominate, with strong vehicle deliveries in August.
The controversy surrounding JPMorgan Chase’s reporting of over $1 billion in transactions related to “human trafficking” by Jeffrey Epstein highlights ongoing legal issues for the bank.
As U.S. markets are closed for Labor Day, the coming weeks will reveal whether stocks can defy the historical trend of September being a weak month for the market. Overall, the labor market dynamics and wage growth signal a shift toward a looser job market, which could alleviate concerns about inflation and interest rate hikes.
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