Economic Outlook - The U.S. economy is showing signs of softening, with several CEOs indicating a potential slowdown ahead of the Federal Reserve's decision [2][3][6] - Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon noted that while the economy is still progressing, there are signals suggesting a shift [2][4] - JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon expressed concerns about the economy weakening, stating uncertainty about whether it is heading towards a recession [5][6] Labor Market Insights - The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) revised its nonfarm payrolls data, showing a significant drop of 911,000 from initial estimates, marking the largest shift in over 20 years [1] - Job creation in August was weak, with nonfarm payrolls increasing by only 22,000 [8] - Wells Fargo CEO Charles Scharf highlighted a growing disparity between higher-income and lower-income consumers, indicating economic struggles for the latter [7] Federal Reserve Expectations - There is a consensus among CEOs that the Federal Reserve is likely to cut interest rates, with expectations of a 25-basis point reduction [4][10] - Barclays CEO C. S. Venkatakrishnan mentioned that the Fed's decision may be influenced by the softness in the labor market [10] - PNC Financial Services CEO Bill Demchak noted underlying pressures in the economy that could lead to rate cuts despite consumer spending driving growth [12]

Wall Street was downbeat last week, with the S&P 500 losing 3.1%, the Dow Jones shedding about 2.4% and the Nasdaq Composite retreating 3.5%. The S&P 500 recorded the its worst week since September 2024. SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) lost 3.4% in the week. The Nasdaq officially entered correction territory—defined as a 10% decline from recent highs.Weak Jobs Report Adds to ConcernsInvestors largely shrugged off a weaker-than-expected February jobs report, which briefly pushed Treasury yields lower. Nonfarm p ...