Date Published: June 30, 2025
Defying expectations of a slowdown from escalating trade disputes, the US added 147,000 nonfarm jobs in June, reducing the unemployment rate to 4.1%.
Technology, retail, and industrial sectors led the hiring, supported by muted consumer inflation and robust consumption.
The S&P 500 closed out its strongest quarter since December 2023, reflecting positive payroll and inflation data.
On the international front, China’s exports rose by 5.8% year-on-year after a temporary truce in the trade war enabled smoother supply chain operations.
US and Chinese negotiators announced agreements to broaden market access, and Beijing expedited export licenses for critical manufacturing components.
Market leaders cited these breakthroughs as pivotal for averting deeper recession risks and laying the groundwork for rate cuts, improved fiscal stimulus, and healthy summer growth.
Despite broad optimism, consumer sentiment surveys showed a slight dip in confidence, indicating continued anxieties about the pace and durability of recovery.
Executive boards highlighted sector rotation into technology, banking, and industrials as clear signals of business resilience.