Market Brief: NFP and Powell Give No Strong Guidance for Traders
- FX: The New Zealand dollar was the strongest major currency on the day; the British pound was the weakest as traders took profits after a strong rally on the week overall.
- US data: Non-Farm Payrolls came in below expectations at 130k, though average hourly earnings did beat expectations at 0.4% m/m. The unemployment rate held steady at 3.7% despite a 0.2% rise in the labor force participation rate.
- Meanwhile, Canada saw a strong jobs report and Ivey PMI reading, so the BOC may not have to cut interest rates next month.
- Commodities: Gold fell for the second straight day after testing a 6-year high midweek. Oil gained less than 0.5%.
- US indices closed mixed in quiet trade as Fed Chairman Powell did little to deter traders from expecting another 0.25% cut to interest rates later this month.
- Energy (XLE) was the strongest major sector on the day while Utilities (XLU) were the worst in narrow-dispersion trade.
- Stocks on the move:
- Recent IPO Zoom Video Communications (ZM) shed -8% despite reporting better-than-expected earnings and sales figures.
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