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Softer US job report and transitory hotter inflation: Will the Fed hike?

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June NFP headline job additions were primarily dragged down by leisure & hospitality due to front-loading in April & May ahead of the FIFA World Cup. The increase in multiple jobholders (including agro) is almost equivalent to the decrease in the number of employed persons (Jan '25-June '26) due to labor force contraction and skill mismatches. If the labor force participation rate now stays around 62.6% (2024) levels instead of 61.9% (2026), the headline unemployment rate would be ~5.0% instead of 4.3% on average. Fresh US job creations are subdued due to Trump policy uncertainty despite the so-called perceived narrative of ‘Make in USA’ and AI/construction boosts. The Fed will be in wait-and-watch mode till Dec '26 amid transitory hotter inflation and a softer employment situation in the economy, which may affect US consumer spending going forward.  On July 2, 2026, the focus of the market was on the US NFP/BLS job report for June '26 and the overall employment...

Stocks stumbled on the SpaceX fiasco and Trump’s Iran negotiation strategy at gunpoint

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  ·   Modern-day Hitler Trump is frustrated; despite 90% devastation of Iran's military, the US mainstream media is not ready to acknowledge his victory. ·        Due to respective domestic political compulsions, neither Trump, nor Israel, nor Iran is ready to provide substantial concessions to each other. ·        If the 60-day negotiation does not yield any better deal than JCPOA-2015, Trump may launch a surgical/military strike on Iran ahead of the Nov. '26 US midterm elections. ·        After the expected miserable defeat of Trump in the midterm, VP Vance (rational/moderate policy/dove) may be a leading candidate to replace Trump (White House) or any of his family members in the 2028 US election   Almost all the global leaders, including Iran, are now focusing on ‘lunatic/psychotic’ Trump’s prospects after the Nov. '26 midterm election.   Wall Street futures stumbled earl...