Lower than expected job creation in the US lifts hopes for 'soft landing'

Lowest gain since December 2020

Valeria Martinez
clock • 2 min read

Job creation in the US continued its downward trajectory as non-farm payrolls came in weaker than expected in July, fuelling hopes that a ‘soft landing’ could still be achieved.

According to figures released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics today (4 August), 187,000 jobs were added last month, lower than the consensus of 200,000 and a fall from 209,000 in June. This was also the lowest gain since December 2020.  The unemployment rate came in at 3.5%, marginally higher than the multi-decade low of 3.4% seen in April and a slight decrease from 3.6% in June. Average hourly earnings rose 0.4% in the month, against 0.4% in June, while the annualised figure was unchanged at 4.4%. 'Remarkably robust' US economy grows 2.4% "It is unlikely we will see a notable ti...

To continue reading this article...

Join Investment Week for free

  • Unlimited access to real-time news, analysis and opinion from the investment industry, including the Sustainable Hub covering fund news from the ESG space
  • Get ahead of regulatory and technological changes affecting fund management
  • Important and breaking news stories selected by the editors delivered straight to your inbox each day
  • Weekly members-only newsletter with exclusive opinion pieces from leading industry experts
  • Be the first to hear about our extensive events schedule and awards programmes

Join now

 

Already an Investment Week
member?

Login

More on US

Investor demand meets 'relentless supply' of record-breaking US Treasury bond sales
US

Investor demand meets 'relentless supply' of record-breaking US Treasury bond sales

Government attempts to plug debt vacuum

Eve Maddock-Jones
clock 08 February 2024 • 4 min read
T. Rowe Price's Ritu Vohora: US small cap stocks offer strong fundamentals and cheap valuations
US

T. Rowe Price's Ritu Vohora: US small cap stocks offer strong fundamentals and cheap valuations

Soft landing prospects

Ritu Vohora
clock 01 February 2024 • 4 min read
US inflation falls to 3.1% in November
US

US inflation falls to 3.1% in November

In line with expectations

Elliot Gulliver-Needham
clock 12 December 2023 • 1 min read
Trustpilot