US: Total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 157,000 in July vs. 190,000 expected

Eren Sengezer FXStreet

"Total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 157,000 in July, and the unemployment rate edged down to 3.9 percent," the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics announced on Friday.

Key takeaways from the official publication

In July, the unemployment rate edged down by 0.1 percentage point to 3.9 percent, following an increase in June.
The number of unemployed persons declined by 284,000 to 6.3 million in July.
- Both measures were down over the year, by 0.4 percentage point and 676,000, respectively.
The labor force participation rate, at 62.9 percent in July, was unchanged over the month and over the year.
The average workweek for all employees on private nonfarm payrolls decreased by 0.1 hour to 34.5 hours in July, following an increase of 0.1 hour in June.
In July, average hourly earnings for all employees on private nonfarm payrolls rose by 7 cents to $27.05.
- Over the year, average hourly earnings have increased by 71 cents, or 2.7 percent.

Author

Eren Sengezer

FXStreet

As an economist at heart, Eren Sengezer specializes in the assessment of the short-term and long-term impacts of macroeconomic data, central bank policies and political developments on financial assets.

EUR/USD stays near 1.1650 with fading momentum

EUR/USD holds ground after five days of losses, trading around 1.1650 during the Asian hours on Friday. The 14-day Relative Strength Index momentum indicator at 39 trends lower, confirming fading momentum rather than oversold conditions.

GBP/USD remains below 1.3450, nine-day EMA

GBP/USD remains subdued for the fourth consecutive day, trading around 1.3430 during the Asian hours on Friday. The momentum indicator 14-day Relative Strength Index at 51.9 is neutral, reflecting slower momentum after firm recent readings. An RSI drop back beneath 50 would strengthen the case for a deeper pullback.

Gold edges lower as USD preserves its recent gains ahead of US NFP report

Gold struggles to capitalize on the previous day's goodish rebound from the vicinity of the $4,400 mark and attracts fresh sellers during the Asian session on Friday. The US Dollar preserves its gains registered over the past two weeks and touches a nearly one-month high, undermining the commodity.

Bitcoin, Ethereum and Ripple find key support, reviving rally hopes

Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Ripple steadied above key support levels on Friday after being rejected at mid-week resistance zones. The short-term recovery prospects remain intact if the top three cryptocurrencies by market capitalization hold these support zones.

2026 economic outlook: Clear skies but don’t unfasten your seatbelts yet

Most years fade into the background as soon as a new one starts. Not 2025: a year of epochal shifts, in which the macroeconomy was the dog that did not bark. What to expect in 2026? The shocks of 2025 will not be undone, but neither will they be repeated.

Pepe Price Forecast: PEPE risks 100-day EMA fallout as bullish interest fades

Pepe is under extreme selling pressure, trading in the red for the fifth consecutive day, down 1% at press time on Friday. Pepe’s decline following a 72% hike last week suggests a likely profit-booking phase, while on-chain data indicates declining network activity.