The Bureau of Labor Statistics is experiencing technical difficulties that may affect the release of the August employment report scheduled for 8:30 a.m. in Washington, but it is unclear if the report's release will be delayed.
Dow Jones futures rose slightly as investors awaited the release of the August jobs report. Tesla unveiled its upgraded Model 3 in China, which includes a battery range boost but also a 12% price increase. Li Auto, Nio, and XPeng are set to report their August deliveries, while BYD will release its August sales. The stock market rally had a mixed session, with growth stocks leading the way. Investors should be prepared for Friday's reaction to the jobs report and continue to monitor the market direction and leading stocks.
The August jobs report is expected to reveal a cooling in hiring, prompting experts to advise focusing on key indicators such as wage growth, labor force participation, and unemployment rate to gauge the health of the labor market.
The August jobs report, set to be released on Friday, is expected to show a slowdown in the labor market, with hiring projected to have increased by 170,000 last month and the unemployment rate remaining steady at 3.5%. This would mark a drop from July's gain of 187,000 jobs and the average monthly increase recorded over the past year. The report will be closely watched by investors and the Federal Reserve for signs of a softening labor market amid concerns about inflation. Factors such as the ongoing actors and writers strike and the bankruptcy of trucking giant Yellow may impact the data. Slower job growth and moderation in wage gains could be seen as positive by the central bank.