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A recently published January jobs report by ADP Research, a labor market and employee performance research firm, once again put a spotlight on the U.S. jobs market, with about 22,000 private sector jobs added overall including 74,000 jobs in healthcare, but with another monthly decline in manufacturing jobs, a sector that has been shedding jobs on a monthly basis since March 2024. The reported 22,000 figure was drastically below Dow Jones' consensus estimate of 45,000 jobs ad

The member states of the EU have approved the signing of a free trade agreement between the European Union and the Latin American states of Mercosur, Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay. A recent addition, Bolivia, will eventually be able to participate in the same. The agreement, in the making since 1999, will form a trade bloc of more than 700 million people with 90% of tariffs to be removed by 2040. What this will mean in practice is two-fold in strong validation of g

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) yesterday reported preliminary figures indicating that 50,000 jobs were added in December 2025, and a slightly lower unemployment rate of 4.4% vs. 4.6% in November 2025. Jobs figures were reportedly shared a day before official release by President Trump, but that is another story. Reports the BLS, "Employment continued to trend up in food services and drinking places, health care, and social assistance. Retail trade lost jobs." In co

A report released Dec. 23, 2025 by the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) showed an unexpected jump in U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) driven primarily by an increase in consumer spending and exports. The U.S. economy, according to the report grew at a rate of 4.3% compared to economist estimates of around 3.2-3.3% in the third quarter. On its own, the Q3 2025 GDP report paints a remarkably rosy picture and highlights the strong resilience of the U.S. economy, especially con

The Federal Reserve today voted today to cut Federal Fund target rate by another quarter percentage point for the third time this year, to 3.5-3.75%. Although this rate cut was widely expected by investors and economists alike, the path forward continues to look uncertain into 2026 for more or deeper rate cuts. The votes also indicated a divided Federal Reserve Board, with CNBC reporting three Fed governors dissenting: "Fed governor Stephen Miran, who is on temporary leave fr

Following surprisingly decisive losses in recent elections including the Governorships of New Jersey, Virginia and Mayoralty of New York City, the Trump Administration has taken a new look at the affordability issue and has been apparently keen to establish its authority in this highly contentious area of public policy as well. While the true costs and benefits of the new American trade regime and deregulatory push are still yet to become fully clear to American taxpayers, al

With inflation statistics still not being published due to the Federal government shutdown, though the Senate now appears to have a workable deal on the table, the Federal Reserve Board has made a judgment call to cut rates further from 4.00-4.25% down to 3.75-4.00%. This quarter-point rate target cut may encourage more borrowing in an economy that has uncertain inflationary prospects, the results of which may vary. To this effect, Fed Reserve Chair Jay Powell is maintaining