The Payroll Persistence – Hiring Increases
Aside from the regional banking turmoil, the Federal Reserve has most closely monitored the actions of the labor market to conclude their assessment of the American economy. Fed Chair Jerome Powell affirmed that cooling signs in the labor market, such as slowing wage increases, have the potential to create a “soft landing” as the Fed brings inflation down to sustainable levels. On the contrary, the newest job data has provided some insight that may suggest the labor market is still robust and growing. For the month of April, private company hires rose by 296,000, far ahead of the Dow Jones estimate of 133,000.
These levels are far greater than the previous month’s revised 142,000 increases and are also the largest monthly rise in private payrolls since July 2022. This year, payroll processing firm ADP estimates job increases of over 800,000 despite the Fed’s commitment to slow economic growth with higher interest rates. Coupled with the slowdown of pay growth, it is evident companies continue to hire at aggressive levels while maintaining wage costs. Nevertheless, the more closely watched Labor Department’s nonfarm payrolls will release on Friday, serving as a significant gauge for the Fed as they make their next interest rate decision on June 17th.
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I am not a financial advisor and my comments should never be taken as financial advice. Investments come with risk, so always do your research and analysis beforehand.
