U.S. unemployment rate ticked lower in January – RBC Economics
Source Fxstreet
The exceptional run of U.S. labour market strength persisted in January, RBC Economics’ Senior Economist Claire Fan notes.
US unemployment rate drops to 4%
“The exceptional run of U.S. labour market strength persisted in January, even with a small miss in payroll employment gain (143k vs. consensus 170k) and large and negative backward benchmark revisions to the level of payroll employment.”
“The unemployment rate dropped to 4% (and would have been 3.9% without annual adjustments to the population controls) and wage growth among private sectors remained elevated.”
“Today's report confirms our expectations that a stable and strong U.S. jobs market does not need support from further Fed rate cuts. We continue to expect the central bank will hold Fed Funds steady at the current 4.25% - 4.5% range throughout 2025.”
Disclaimer: For information purposes only. Past performance is not indicative of future results.
Recommended Articles
The Fed will sit still on October 28 — but 100 of 100 economists now expect a December hikeA Reuters poll run October 16-20 found 94 of 100 economists expecting the Fed to hold at 3.75-4.00% on October 28 — and all 100 expecting a hike in December, against less than half a month earlier. The market is close to the same price, with CME FedWatch at roughly 17% for October and 82.8% for December. With the Fed in blackout since October 17, here are the five dates that decide the rest of the year, what each one is priced for, and the two directions each can take.
A Reuters poll run October 16-20 found 94 of 100 economists expecting the Fed to hold at 3.75-4.00% on October 28 — and all 100 expecting a hike in December, against less than half a month earlier. The market is close to the same price, with CME FedWatch at roughly 17% for October and 82.8% for December. With the Fed in blackout since October 17, here are the five dates that decide the rest of the year, what each one is priced for, and the two directions each can take.
Get the latest gold price analysis, forex gold insights, and XAU/USD analysis for October 23, 2026. Read on for the details.
Nasdaq closes at 26,008.86 — 8.9 points above 26,000, and the credit market never blinkedThe Nasdaq Composite fell 2.60% to 26,008.86 on October 22, its worst session since June, as Meta sank 6.98% on 2026 capex guidance of $135–145 billion. But the equal-weight S&P 500 rose 0.73%, high-yield credit was flat and 10-year yields fell 20 basis points. This was an AI de-rating, not a risk-off event — here is the transmission chain, the 29,000 / 28,200 levels and what would prove it wrong.
The Nasdaq Composite fell 2.60% to 26,008.86 on October 22, its worst session since June, as Meta sank 6.98% on 2026 capex guidance of $135–145 billion. But the equal-weight S&P 500 rose 0.73%, high-yield credit was flat and 10-year yields fell 20 basis points. This was an AI de-rating, not a risk-off event — here is the transmission chain, the 29,000 / 28,200 levels and what would prove it wrong.
Brent tops $113 on Saudi supply risk — but the diesel line in the EIA report is the tellBrent's December contract settled at $113.17 on October 22, up 4.00% and the highest close since May 4, after Saudi Arabia restricted refined-product shipments. The same session's EIA report showed crude stocks down 3.06 million barrels and gasoline down 2.95 million — but distillates built 1.68 million. That single line decides whether $113 holds: here are the data, the 108.8 / 114.0 / 119.3 levels and the two scenarios.
Brent's December contract settled at $113.17 on October 22, up 4.00% and the highest close since May 4, after Saudi Arabia restricted refined-product shipments. The same session's EIA report showed crude stocks down 3.06 million barrels and gasoline down 2.95 million — but distillates built 1.68 million. That single line decides whether $113 holds: here are the data, the 108.8 / 114.0 / 119.3 levels and the two scenarios.
Get the latest gold price analysis, forex gold insights, and XAU/USD analysis for October 26, 2026. Read on for the details.
