GS - Strong Jobs Report Diminishes Fed Rate-Cut Hopes: 5 Winners | Benzinga
A vibrant labor market dashed expectations of an interest rate cut soon. May's startling uptick in the pace of job additions and wages increased the belief that the Federal Reserve will hold rates at record highs through this summer and maybe beyond.
Nonfarm payrolls increased by 272,000 in May, well above April's meager gain of 165,000 and above analysts' estimate of 190,000 new job additions, per the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The figure was also higher than the 232,000 monthly average employment gains for the past year.
Now, the jobless rate may have ticked up to the 4% mark, but there weren't many indications of a slowdown in the labor market. After all, the yearly wage growth moved up to 4.1% from 4%. Wage growth hovered at the 4% mark since last fall. Additionally, average hourly earnings increased 0.4% in May, following a slowdown to a rate of 0.2% in the prior month.
Relentless job additions and acceleration in monthly employment gains could increase inflationary pressures, which may compel the Fed to remain hawkish. The central bank's preferred inflation gauge, the personal consumption expenditures index, anyway, was up 2.7% year over year in April, higher than the desired ...