The US economy has lost 1.2% million jobs since April 2024, and Americans are feeling the economic downturn. The quits rate, a measure of how often workers voluntarily leave their jobs, is now down to about 2% after fluctuating in the years since the pandemic, and employers are hiring at the slowest pace since 2013, excluding the pandemic dip and rise. I think people just want to stay with what is known and not take any risks right now.We use the term job clinging or job hugging to denote that they're stayi ...

Economic Predictions - A prediction suggests socialism will sweep over the nation, potentially worse than previous issues [1] - Wage growth is stagnant, impacting people across income levels due to increased costs of groceries and home goods [1] - Rent increases annually while salaries remain stagnant, creating financial strain [1] Government Impact - Nearly half of Americans are employed directly or indirectly by the government [2] - Inefficient government allocation of capital contributes to inflation [2]

Macroeconomic Trends - Japan's civil servants are poised for the largest pay raise in 34 years [1] - This pay increase could strengthen the positive feedback loop of wage and price growth [1] Monetary Policy Implications - The Bank of Japan has long sought this virtuous cycle as a prerequisite for further monetary tightening [1]

Employment & Economic Growth - The US economy added 147,000 jobs in June, exceeding expectations [1] - The unemployment rate slightly decreased to 4.1% [1][4] - Average hourly earnings show a 3.7% growth over the past year, indicating compensation for employed individuals [2][11] - The first quarter GDP number came in at 0.5%, indicating a not strong but not weak economy [15] Sector Performance - State government jobs were a significant driver of job growth, contrasting with weaker private sector job growth [3] - The healthcare sector, including residential care facilities and nursing homes, consistently drives employment [6] - Federal government jobs decreased by 7,000, totaling 69,000 cuts so far [5] - Mining, quarrying, manufacturing, and wholesale trade experienced little change, aligning with expectations given trade policy uncertainty [7] Monetary Policy & Consumer Behavior - The possibility of a Federal Reserve rate cut next month decreased from 25% to approximately 2%, suggesting a relatively strong economy [8] - Wage growth was slightly below expectations at 0.2% compared to the expected 0.3% [10] - There's a bifurcation in the labor market, with employed individuals experiencing decent wage growth, while recently unemployed or graduated individuals face some weakness [12] - Consumers are saving more, potentially slowing down spending and economic activity [13][14]

Employment Landscape - The non-farm payrolls report, while stronger than expected, indicates a slowing employment landscape [1] - Headline data decreased compared to the previous month, which was also revised downwards [1] - Employers may be reducing hiring due to tighter financial conditions, while incentivizing current employees with higher wages [1] Wage Growth & Labor Force - Strong wage growth coupled with a lower labor force participation rate was observed [1] Monetary Policy Implications - Continued wage pressures may keep inflation elevated, potentially delaying Federal Reserve rate cuts [2] - The low unemployment rate provides no immediate impetus for a rate cut [2]

Core Insights - Visa's CFO, Chris Suh, discussed the current spending environment, highlighting consumer sentiment and economic indicators [3][4]. Group 1: Economic Indicators - Employment numbers are reported to be strong, with stable wage growth contributing to a resilient consumer base [4]. - Inflation has moderated, which has positively impacted consumer spending behavior [4]. Group 2: Spending Trends - There is an observed uncertainty in consumer sentiment, which is reflected in the overall spending trends both domestically and in cross-border transactions [3]. - Despite the noise in the economic environment, Visa relies on factual data to assess the situation [3].

Group 1: Tariff Policy Impact - The stock market has been significantly affected by tariff policies discussed by President Trump, with market indexes declining between 2.5-5% over the past week due to the potential imposition of tariffs on trading partners [1] - Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick indicated that an announcement regarding tariffs may be forthcoming, which has led to fluctuations in major indexes [2] - Lutnick suggested that the White House may consider reducing tariffs based on compliance with the U.S. MCA trade policy, particularly affecting domestic automakers [3] Group 2: Employment Data - The ADP private-sector payroll report revealed an increase of +77K jobs, which is significantly lower than the expected +148K and the lowest since July of the previous year [4] - Goods-producing jobs increased by +42K, outperforming the +36K in private-sector services for the first time in recent memory [5] - Small firms lost -12K positions, while large companies gained +37K and medium-sized businesses added +46K jobs, with Leisure & Hospitality leading the gains [6] Group 3: Wage Growth Metrics - Job Stayers experienced an average wage increase of +4.7% year-over-year, while Job Changers saw an average increase of +6.7%, indicating a slight decrease from the previous month [7] Group 4: Upcoming Economic Reports - Economic reports expected to be released include the final S&P Services PMI for February, ISM Services, and Factory Orders for January, which are anticipated to show positive trends [8]

Group 1: Tariff Policy Impact - The stock market has been significantly affected by tariff policies discussed by President Trump, with market indexes declining between 2.5% to 5% over the past five days due to the potential imposition of tariffs of 20% or 25% on major trading partners [1] - Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick indicated that the White House may consider reducing tariffs based on compliance with the U.S. MCA trade policy, particularly affecting domestic automakers [3] Group 2: Employment Data - The ADP private-sector payrolls report showed an increase of only 77,000 jobs in February, which is about half of the expected 148,000 and the lowest since July of the previous year [4] - Goods-producing jobs increased by 42,000, outperforming the services sector, which added only 36,000 jobs [5] - Small firms lost 12,000 positions, while large companies gained 37,000 and medium-sized businesses added 46,000 jobs, with the Leisure & Hospitality sector leading job growth [6] Group 3: Wage Growth Metrics - Job Stayers experienced an average wage increase of 4.7% year-over-year, while Job Changers saw a 6.7% increase, indicating a slight decrease from the previous month [7] Group 4: Upcoming Economic Reports - Anticipated economic reports include the final S&P Services PMI for February, expected to approach the growth threshold, and Factory Orders for January, which are projected to show a positive swing after a previous decline [8]