Other markets in Asia also shrugged off a stronger-than-expected U.S. payrolls data that has dampened expectations for Federal Reserve rate cuts and sent U.S. stocks lower overnight.Japan's Nikkei 225 on Thursday hit 58,000 for the first time in history, extending its post-election rally to fresh highs, fueled by renewed confidence in domestic politics and the ruling administration's economic agenda.Hong Kong's Hang Seng index futures were at 27,206, lower than the HSI's last close of 27,266.38.Australia's ...

Group 1 - The recent government shutdown delayed the release of key jobs data, which was originally scheduled for last Friday [1] - The Bureau of Labor Statistics had just resumed its regular data release schedule after a 43-day shutdown, which previously halted all federal data collection [2] - The lack of government data has led to increased attention on third-party reports, such as Challenger, Gray & Christmas, which reported that companies cut 108,000 jobs in January, the highest for any January since 2009 [3] Group 2 - U.S. employers added 50,000 jobs in December, which was below the revised figure of 56,000 jobs added in November and below the expected 73,000 jobs [3][4] - The unemployment rate decreased to 4.4% in December from a revised 4.5% in November, marking the first decline since June [4] - Federal Reserve officials are concerned about a potential surge in unemployment, noting that job openings in December were at their lowest since 2020 [5][6] Group 3 - Economists view job openings as a leading indicator of future job growth, which is crucial for the Federal Reserve's mandate to maintain high employment and control inflation [6] - The Federal Reserve has been divided on whether to cut interest rates to support the job market or maintain higher rates to combat inflation, with rates held flat at the January meeting [7] - Analysts from Bank of America Global Research referred to the upcoming jobs report as the "Super Bowl of jobs reports" due to the significant attention it is receiving [8] Group 4 - Forecasters predict that U.S. employers likely added 55,000 jobs in the last month, with job gains expected to be concentrated in health care, while the unemployment rate is forecast to remain at 4.4% [9] - The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics releases the Employment Situation Summary monthly, estimating job additions, average hours worked, and average hourly earnings [11] - The government's jobs report is considered the gold standard for measuring labor market health and the broader U.S. economy [12]

The US Labour Department is set to release closely watched employment data on Wednesday, offering the first indication of whether job growth in 2026 is gaining momentum after a year marked by the weakest hiring pace outside of a recession in more than two decades. ...

This story has been updated. From Main Street to Wall Street, there are questions as to when interest rates will drop again. The Jan. 28 meeting of the Federal Reserve’s policymaking panel paused interest-rate cuts as expected in its first meeting of 2026. The benchmark Federal Funds Rate influences short-term borrowing rates, such as those on credit cards, auto financing, and student loans. Fed Governors Stephan Miran and Christopher Waller dissented from the decision, voting to cut the funds rate by ...

Small- and medium-sized business owners are tuning into this week’s Federal Open Market Committee meeting despite expectations that policymakers will hold interest rates steady. There are still a great deal of economic tailwinds to distill into sound business decisions for the rest of the year. Andy Bregenzer, Head of U.S. Regional and Small Business Banking and Co-Head of Commercial Bank at TD, said inflation is still running above the Fed’s 2% target and volatility is lingering across markets. “Growth ...

Market Performance - US stocks ended the week higher, with tech stocks leading the gains, resulting in record closes for the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the S&P 500 [1] - The Dow led major indexes with a gain of over 2% for the week, while the Nasdaq Composite rose nearly 2% and the S&P 500 increased by approximately 1.6% [1] Oil Market - Oil prices increased throughout the week, influenced by the US military's capture of Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro and the Trump administration's seizure of Venezuela's oil industry [2] - Brent crude oil futures rose more than 3.7% for the week, while West Texas Intermediate futures gained roughly 2.6% [2] Economic Indicators - Upcoming economic data on consumer prices, producer prices, and retail sales will be closely monitored, as traders anticipate the Federal Reserve's decisions regarding interest rates [3] - Current market expectations indicate a 95% probability that the Fed will maintain unchanged rates at the upcoming meeting [3] Earnings Reports - The earnings season is set to begin, with major banks such as JPMorgan Chase and BNY Mellon reporting results on Tuesday, followed by Bank of America, Wells Fargo, and Citigroup on Wednesday [3] - Other significant companies reporting include Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, and Taiwan Semiconductor later in the week [4] Labor Market Insights - The December jobs report indicated that 2025 was the worst year for US job growth outside of a recession since 2003, with only 584,000 new jobs added [5] - This marked a significant decline from over 2 million jobs added in 2024, and it was the first time job gains fell below 1 million annually, excluding the years 2008, 2009, and 2020 [5] - Despite concerns, the market's reaction suggested that labor market conditions are cooling but not collapsing, according to economic research insights [6]

Economic Overview - Job growth in December was modest, with approximately 50,000 jobs created, falling short of estimates that ranged up to 70,000 [1][5] - The unemployment rate slightly decreased from 4.5% to 4.4% [1] Revisions and Data Accuracy - The report indicated downward revisions for previous months, with October job losses revised to a decline of 173,000 from an initial estimate of 105,000, and November gains adjusted down to 56,000 from 76,000 [5][6] - The labor force participation rate remained stable at 62.4%, and the employment-population ratio was unchanged at 59.7% [2] Market Reaction - Following the jobs report, major stock indices experienced gains, with the S&P 500 rising by 38 points (0.5%), the Nasdaq Composite increasing by 161 points (0.7%), and the Dow Jones Industrial Average climbing by 206 points (0.4%) [3] - The Russell 2000 index reached a 52-week high of 2,634 [3] General Market Trends - Overall, the market has seen an increase of 1% to 2% this year [4] - Crude oil prices rose by 45 cents to $58.21 on the morning of January 9 [8]

US Deputy Secretary of Labor Keith Sonderling says jobs are being added in the right spots, pointing out that the private sector is growing. Sonderling also expects more manufacturing jobs to come back to the US. Employers overall added fewer jobs than expected in December. ...

Economic Growth Outlook - The economy is expected to see a slight pickup in growth, with GDP growth projected to be around 4.2% for Q3 and 4% for Q2 [25] - Job growth is anticipated to average around 80,000 for 2026, an increase from the recent average of 70,000 to 60,000 [19] AI's Impact on the Economy - AI spending currently represents about 1.5% of GDP, contributing approximately 25% to the overall GDP growth [6][7] - While AI is a significant driver of growth, it is not in bubble territory, and companies are expected to continue investing in AI [10][11] Federal Reserve Policy and Leadership - The potential nomination of Kevin Hasset as the next Fed chair may lead to a more dovish approach, but consensus among committee members will still be necessary [12][14] - The Fed is expected to implement two more rate cuts, but challenges remain in achieving a dovish policy due to elevated inflation [15][14] Labor Market Dynamics - The labor market is showing signs of strength, with a notable increase in construction employment and a rise in labor force participation [21][28] - The recent jobs report indicated a payroll increase of 119,000, although the unemployment rate rose to 4.4% [21]

data. The delayed September jobs report is now out. The US economy added 119,000 jobs during the month.That was a lot more than expected. The unemployment rate came in at 4.4%. NBC News business and data correspondent Brian Chung joins us from the big board to talk more about these numbers.Brian, so this is the first jobs report reason it was delayed because of that government shutdown since it ended. The last one we got was for August numbers and that was of course back in early September like normal. walk ...