A “now hiring” sign is displayed on a local business after, U.S. employment growth slowed more than expected in July, in Encinitas, California, U.S. August 1, 2025.
Mike Blake | Reuters
Markets have been rising on hopes that weak jobs data will lead to rate cuts. But they could be staring at an oncoming freight train if the U.S. nonfarm payrolls data due Friday sends recessionary signals.
The ADP private payrolls report on Thursday showed an increase of 54,000 jobs in August, lower than the 75,000 expected by economists polled by Dow Jones. The figure is also less than the revised 106,000 jobs added in July.
Jobless claims for the week ended Aug. 30 also increased to 237,000. That number came in above estimates and marked an 8,000 gain from the prior week, providing more evidence of labor market slowdown.
Currently, the market has shrugged off that data. All three major U.S. indexes ended in positive territory Thursday, with the S&P500 notching a record high.
But that’s the thing about freight trains. You hear them them faintly in the distance, and all of a sudden, you’re scrambling to jump out of the way as it barrels down on you.
Friday’s nonfarm payrolls report is expected to show 75,000 additions last month, according to a Dow Jones poll.
Investors will then know if the train is simply pulling into a station, or their portfolios are about to get run over — and optimism in itself isn’t always a great armor.
— CNBC’s Sean Conlon and Sarah Min contributed to this report.
S&P notches new record high. The S&P 500 closed at its 21st record high of the year after an afternoon boost pushed stocks solidly into the green as traders shook off weak private employment data earlier in the day. The Nasdaq Composite and Dow Jones Industrial Average also recorded gains. Over in Europe, the pan-European Stoxx 600 closed 0.6% higher, led by media and telecoms stocks.
Broadcom shares pop. The company’s stock rose in extended trading Thursday after announcing it had secured $10 billion in orders from a new client for custom chips. Broadcom also reported fiscal third-quarter earnings that beat expectations and provided robust guidance for the current quarter.
Lululemon plunges. Shares plunged in extended trading after the company gave a much-worse-than-expected full-year outlook. The company topped second-quarter earnings estimates but slightly missed revenue expectations. It expects tariffs to hit its full-year profits by $240 million.
Trump vs FTC. U.S. President Donald Trump asked the Supreme Court to allow him to fire Federal Trade Commission commissioner Rebecca Slaughter, who lower courts ordered reinstated after he terminated her. Trump in March removed Slaughter and another Democratic commissioner, Alvaro Bedoya, as part of a sprawling effort to exert his influence over federal agencies.
[PRO] Global banks and gold miners preferred. There’s been a rush into international equities in 2025, and demand appears to be increasing. Portfolio managers at Lazard Asset Management tell CNBC where they are seeing opportunities.
Young workers are coming to the office more than all other age groups, a recent global study by real estate firm JLL found.
Keeproll | E+ | Getty Images
How Gen Z workers are reshaping corporate norms as they return to office
As Gen Z workers return to the office, they’re reshaping corporate norms by embracing AI, normalizing mental health chats, and being more authentic at work.
This has given rise to a series of new workplace trends from the viral “Gen Z stare,” to the “office siren” aesthetic and even TikTok slang like “ick” becoming normalized in professional lingo.
“Gen Z is reshaping workplace norms by introducing new ways of working that reflect their values, digital fluency, and desire for authenticity,” Dan Schawbel, managing partner of Workplace Intelligence, told CNBC.
— Aisha Ditta, Sawdah Bhaimiya