Breaking: Private sector employment rises by 132,000 in August vs 288,000 expected

FXStreet Team FXStreet

The data published by Automatic Data Processing (ADP) showed on Wednesday that private sector employment in the US rose by 132,000 in August. This reading came in weaker than the market expectation for an increase of 288,000.

Commenting on the report, “our data suggests a shift toward a more conservative pace of hiring, possibly as companies try to decipher the economy's conflicting signals,” said Nela Richardson, chief economist, ADP. “We could be at an inflection point, from super-charged job gains to something more normal.”

"Year-over-year change in annual pay was 7.6% in August, in line with monthly readings since Spring 2022," the ADP's publication further read. "In early 2021, annual pay increases were running at about 2%. While the pace of pay increases is elevated, its growth has flattened."

Market reaction

With the initial market reaction, the US Dollar Index edged lower and was last seen trading flat on the day at 108.85.

Developing story...

Author

FXStreet Team

FXStreet

Composed of a group of economic journalists and FX experts, the FXStreet content team produces and oversees all content published on FXStreet. It provides a purely journalistic approach to the Forex market.

AUD/USD consolidates near 0.7000 as USD stays weak

AUD/USD holds steady above 0.7000 during Thursday’s Asian session, consolidating the previous day’s recovery gains from a near three-week low as the Democratic sweep in the US midterm elections and Iran diplomacy hopes continue to weigh on the US Dollar. Bulls, however, seem hesitant as focus shifts to Friday’s crucial US NFP report.

USD/JPY drifts lower to 158.25 on hawkish BoJ Minutes, weak USD

USD/JPY trades with a negative bias for the second straight day on Thursday as hawkish BoJ Minutes, showing members agreed to keep raising rates, and intervention risks support the Japanese Yen. Meanwhile, US midterm election results and hopes for Iran diplomacy keep the US Dollar depressed as focus shifts to Friday’s US NFP report.

Gold gives away gains; focus is back to $4,000

Gold now surrenders part of its initial bull run and breaks below the key $4,100 mark per troy ounce on Thursday. The yellow metal extends it recovery on the back of the mild advance in the Greenback and declining US Treasury yields following the US midterms elections.

The memory trade collapses as Sandisk sheds 17%, Micron sinks to May levels

If Wednesday's stock market rally was a broad vote of confidence in the Democratic sweep of the US midterm elections, Thursday is the other side of that coin. While the AI sell-off already began on Wednesday, it has kicked into higher gear on Thursday. The NASDAQ Composite has swung to a 4% loss in the morning regular session, while the S&P 500 and Dow Jones also shed Wednesday's gains.

NFP stress test: Six payrolls releases, measured in daily-loss limits

Friday's US employment report is usually previewed in terms of the headline number and the reaction in the Dollar. For a growing group of traders, those running funded or evaluation accounts with a fixed daily loss limit, there is a more practical question: how much of that limit can the first hour consume, regardless of direction?

US Dollar breaks below 101.50 as Democrats sweep Congress

The US Dollar (USD) comes under heavy selling pressure on Wednesday, with the US Dollar Index (DXY) falling around 0.5% to trade near 101.35 after sliding below the 101.50 level. The Greenback retreats to its lowest level in four weeks as investors reassess the political and economic outlook following the Democratic Party's sweeping victory in the United States (US) midterm elections.