|
US Non Farm Payrolls report missed expectation printing at -131K versus -65K eyed. The private payroll number increased by 71K versus 90K forecast while government sector lost more than -200K jobs. The one bright spot in the NFP report was the increase in manufacturing jobs which rose 36K from 13K projected. The unemployment rate ticked down to 9.5% but it was the result of workers dropping out of the labor force rather than any uptick in demand. The average hourly earnings also improved modestly to 0.2% from 0.1% expected while hours worked increased to 34.2 from 34.1
Overall, although a disappointment, the report was not a total disaster indicating that labor demand at least in the private sector remains lackluster but nevertheless positive. The clear takeaway from the employment report however is that the public sector will be a drag on the labor markets and on the US economy as a whole, as cash strapped state and municipalities continue to reduce headcount into the second half of the year. Meanwhile, the pick up in the private sector demand is anemic and unable to offset the losses from the government layoffs.
After a mild pause as risk FX battled between the two competing impulses of risk aversion versus capital flight from dollar denominated assets, the later force won out and the euro, cable and Aussie all climbed higher. EUR/USD broke to a fresh weekly high of 1.3270 and 1.3300 now comes into view as the anti-dollar flows continue. Meanwhile, unsurprisingly, USD/JPY, tumbled in response to the weak payroll news as US yields dropped to fresh lows. Some analysts now anticipate that the 10 year bond will go to 2.5% if the Fed initiates a fresh round of QE, but given today’s data it is not yet clear if the Fed will be act now or if it will decide to remain stationary for another month in the hopes that labor demand will pick in the private sector as cash rich corporations slowly increase headcount. In either case the payroll number today was clearly bearish for USD/JPY and as we go to print the pair is approaching the key 85.00 barrier. That level which is purported to contain large stops and may therefore be defended heavily, but is nevertheless likely to fall if not today then early next week as currency traders price in declining yields in the US bond market. |
|