Group 1 - The number of job vacancies in the US decreased from a revised 7.71 million in May to 7.44 million in June, falling short of economists' expectations of 7.5 million [1][2] - Job vacancies saw a broad decline across various sectors, particularly in accommodation and food services, healthcare, and finance and insurance [2] - The hiring rate dropped to 3.3% in June, the lowest level since November of the previous year, indicating a slowdown in recruitment [2] Group 2 - The ratio of unemployed individuals to job vacancies fell to approximately 1:1 in June, significantly lower than the peak of 2:1 in 2022 [2] - There is a noted decrease in the number of voluntary resignations, suggesting a decline in workers' confidence in the job market [2] - Concerns have been raised by economists regarding the reliability of the job vacancy data due to low survey response rates and frequent data revisions [2]

Core Insights - The number of job vacancies in the U.S. decreased to 7.44 million in June, down from a revised 7.71 million in May, indicating a fluctuation in labor demand [1] Industry Impact - The decline in job vacancies was widespread, primarily affecting the accommodation and food services, healthcare, and finance and insurance sectors [1] - The report supports the notion of a cooling labor market, although the decline is gradual [1] Labor Market Conditions - Despite the decrease, job vacancies remain above pre-pandemic average levels, suggesting a relatively healthy demand for workers [1] - Recruitment has slowed down, and unemployed individuals are taking longer to find new jobs [1]

Core Viewpoint - Barclays indicates that while the non-farm employment data appears strong on the surface, deeper details reveal signs of a cooling labor market, increasing the likelihood that the Federal Reserve will remain on hold in July and may not consider rate cuts until December [1] Group 1: Employment Data Overview - In June, non-farm payrolls increased by 147,000, exceeding Barclays' expectation of 100,000 and the market consensus of 106,000 [2] - The three-month moving average reached 150,000, up from 130,000 a year ago [2] - Nearly half of the job growth came from government sectors, with 73,000 new positions, primarily in state government education [3] Group 2: Private Sector Employment - Private sector job growth significantly slowed from 137,000 to 74,000, with service industries contributing only 68,000 jobs [3] - The goods-producing sector added 6,000 jobs, with construction increasing by 15,000, while manufacturing and mining saw declines of 7,000 and 2,000, respectively [3] Group 3: Household Survey Insights - The household survey presents a more complex employment picture, with the unemployment rate dropping by 13 basis points to 4.1%, primarily due to a decrease in the labor force participation rate [6] - The labor force shrank by 130,000, while household employment rose by 93,000 [6] - The broader underemployment rate (U6) slightly decreased to 7.7%, indicating some slack in the labor market [9] Group 4: Wage Growth and Income Trends - Wage growth showed signs of cooling, with average hourly earnings increasing by 0.2% month-over-month and 3.7% year-over-year, down from a 0.4% increase in May [10] - Average work hours declined by 0.1 hours to 34.2 hours, leading to a 0.3% decrease in total hours worked, marking the weakest performance since July of the previous year [13] - The three-month annualized growth rate of wage income fell to 3.0%, halving from the 6.0% growth seen from December to March [15]

Core Viewpoint - Federal Reserve Chairman Powell indicates that while the labor market may be gradually cooling, the strong labor participation rate and good wage growth mitigate concerns about this cooling [1] Group 1 - Powell acknowledges the current uncertainty in the economic outlook remains at a high level, despite some improvements [1] - The labor market conditions, along with reasonable economic growth and gradually declining inflation, lead Powell to prefer waiting for more information before making further decisions [1]

Group 1 - The number of initial jobless claims in the U.S. unexpectedly rose to 247,000, the highest level since October of the previous year, indicating a cooling labor market [1] - The four-week moving average of initial jobless claims also increased to 235,000, marking a new high since October [1] - Employers announced approximately 93,800 layoffs in May, which, despite a decrease from April, remains above the average level of the previous year, particularly in the service and retail sectors [2] Group 2 - The total number of individuals receiving unemployment benefits (continuing claims) slightly decreased to 1.9 million, but remains high compared to the same period last year, suggesting longer reemployment times for job seekers [2] - Major companies, including Microsoft, Disney, and Booz Allen Hamilton, have recently announced layoff plans, driven by factors such as tariff policies, funding cuts, weak consumer spending, and general economic pessimism [2] - Economists expect the upcoming non-farm payroll report to show a decline in new job additions following strong growth in April, while the unemployment rate is anticipated to remain steady at 4.2% [2]

Economic Activity - The latest Beige Book indicates a general slowdown in economic activity across the U.S. since the last report, with half of the regions reporting slight to moderate declines [1][4] - Labor market conditions show a cooling trend, with most regions reporting decreased labor demand, reduced hours, hiring freezes, and plans for layoffs [1][3] Labor Market - Overall employment levels have remained stable, but there is evidence of a shift in labor supply and demand dynamics, with increased job applicants and reduced employee turnover [1][3] - Wage growth continues at a moderate pace, with easing wage pressures, which is a positive sign for alleviating service sector inflation [2][3] Price and Cost Pressures - Prices have risen at a moderate pace, but there are expectations for faster increases in costs and prices in the future, primarily due to higher tariffs [2][4] - Businesses are adopting various strategies to cope with rising costs, including raising prices, compressing profit margins, or adding temporary surcharges [2][3] Sector Performance - Manufacturing reports a general decline in activity, with reduced new orders and increased inventories, influenced by uncertainty and tariffs [3][4] - Consumer spending shows mixed performance, particularly weak in non-essential goods, with some consumers making preemptive purchases to avoid future tariffs [3][4] - The real estate sector is experiencing stagnation or decline in residential sales and new construction, with increased inventory and slowing price growth [3][4] Financial Services - Loan demand is generally stable or weakening, with uncertainty suppressing trading activity, while credit standards remain stable or slightly relaxed [3][4] Market Implications - The economic slowdown and corporate profit pressures may pose downside risks for the stock market, while a cooling labor market could signal potential easing [5][6] - In the bond market, the economic slowdown may support lower bond yields, but inflation concerns from tariffs could limit this downward movement [5][6] - Commodity demand may be suppressed due to economic activity slowdown, but supply chain adjustments and trade policy changes could lead to structural impacts [7][8] Uncertainty and Future Outlook - The overarching theme of uncertainty, particularly related to trade policy, is a significant barrier to economic vitality, affecting both corporate decision-making and consumer sentiment [4][8] - The future economic trajectory will largely depend on how these uncertainties evolve and the impact of trade policies [9]

Group 1 - U.S. corporate hiring activity has slowed to its lowest level in nearly two years, with job cuts observed in sectors such as business services, education, and healthcare, indicating a continued weakening in labor demand [1][2] - According to ADP Research, private sector employment increased by only 37,000 jobs last month, falling short of all economists' predictions in a survey, marking the second consecutive month of significant underperformance [1][2] - The current job market is under dual pressure: a noticeable slowdown in hiring speed and an extended time for unemployed individuals to find new jobs, with economists expecting more signs of cooling in the labor market in the coming months [2][3] Group 2 - Following the data release, stock index futures and U.S. Treasury yields fell, while President Trump reiterated calls for Federal Reserve Chairman Powell to lower interest rates in response to the current situation [3][4] - Despite the hiring slowdown, wage growth remains strong, with a 7% increase for job switchers and a 4.5% increase for retained employees, according to the ADP report, which covers over 25 million U.S. private sector employees [4] - The upcoming U.S. government employment report for May is expected to show a slowdown in non-farm employment growth compared to the strong performance in April, while the unemployment rate is anticipated to remain stable [4]

Group 1 - The Shanghai gold futures market experienced a slight decline, with the main contract closing at 782.42 yuan per gram, down 0.41% on June 4 [1] - The spot price of gold in Shanghai was reported at 781 yuan per gram, indicating a discount of 2.1 yuan per gram compared to the futures price [1] - The U.S. JOLTS report indicated an increase of 191,000 job vacancies in April, reaching a total of 7.391 million, while layoffs surged to 1.786 million, the highest increase in nine months [1] Group 2 - According to Guotou Futures, precious metals showed weak fluctuations overnight, with a focus on upcoming U.S. economic data, particularly the non-farm payrolls report [2] - The international gold price is supported by a strong level around $3,000, maintaining a buy-on-dip strategy [2] - Attention is also directed towards the U.S. ADP employment data and the ISM non-manufacturing PMI for May [2]