by Gregory

Needless to say that the US employment report did not really cheer up the market’s mood last Friday. The number of private sector jobs created in May was the main cause of disappointment. Everybody knows by now that the unemployment rate is a lagging indicator, and that every economic recovery, in its early stages, is [...]

by Gregory

“While the non farm payroll is likely to show an improving job market, the unemployment rate is likely to edge up substantially”. This is what I said last month. On the other hand, among all economists surveyed by Bloomberg, none predicted a rise in the unemployment rate. Ok enough about self back- patting. The most important [...]

by Gregory

As regular readers know by now, on the first Friday of each month, I sit still in front of the BLS website waiting 8.30 am ET with excitement. If you followed my posts in the past, you would consider me rather bearish on the job market. With today’s numbers, I must say that I have [...]

by Gregory

What made the financial news this week? Greece (again) and the unemployment numbers. I wondered last time if Greece was out of the woods. Well, Prime Minister George Panpandreou claimed he had now done all he could do (and everything the ECB and the European Commission have told him) to get out of the cyclone. The last package [...]

by Gregory

This special weekly wrap on the US employment numbers has become a regular rendezvous. On the first Friday of each month I sit still in front of the BLS website waiting 2.30 pm with excitement. Today is even more special, as the Labor Department has finally come up with the yearly revision of the Establishment survey [...]

by Gregory

Here comes the first Weekly Wrap of this new year. But nothing has changed, this week again, the market‘s still revolved around the Fed and the unemployment numbers. The Fed minutes are always closely watched as it uncovers more details about the last FOMC meeting and then prove more forward looking that the laconic FOMC [...]

by Dino

Barron’s cover story, this week, is a consultation with twelve market strategists, who offer their predictions for 2010 (for the US) and advice on how to invest profitably. In particular, the twelve courageous men were asked to give specific predictions for year-end Federal funds, 10 year Treasurys rate, S&P 500 index, unemployment rate, as well [...]

by Gregory

A special edition of Weekly wrap, with a special focus on the employment data. The European markets were really quiet this morning, waiting for the report to set the direction. At 8.30 ET, the expected nonfarm payroll data and unemployment was released. The BLS reported from the Establishment survey that Total nonfarm payroll employment declined [...]