July jobs growth declined by 23,000, missing expectations for a rise of 86,000, while the unemployment rate was 4.1%. Major indexes initially held on to small gains.
All the major stock indices, sans the Nasdaq, hit fresh all-time highs this week. A continued flow of strong earnings report, coupled with anticipation of an Iran ceasefire deal, helped fuel the move.
With the July payrolls report due tomorrow, investors eye weekly jobless claims, watch for Middle East developments, and mull memory chip results after the rally slowed.
Investors remain cautious despite bullish positioning, as rotations curb speculation while record margin debt and high equity allocations raise longer-term risks.
Yesterday's rally to record highs reflected hopes for peace and strong earnings. However, SpaceX and Advanced Micro Devices appeared to disappoint with results after the close.
After stocks closed near record highs Monday and Palantir topped estimates, investors await AMD and SpaceX after the close. Job openings kick off a key labor data week.
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