Investing.com – Here’s a preview of the top 3 things that could rock markets tomorrow
1. Will Bullish US Labor Market Data Trigger Another Stock Market Selloff?
Nonfarm payrolls data on Friday 08.30 a.m. ET, arguably one of the most important economic events of the month, is expected to show the US economy created 200,00 jobs In February.
Economists forecast the jobless rate to decline to 4% while average hourly earnings for February is expected to fall to 0.2% from 0.3% in the previous month.
Investors will assess the nonfarm payrolls report for clues on the strength of the economy which could provide fresh direction for the dollar, United States 2-Year and the US stock market.
The previous jobs report in January showed an uptick in wage growth, raising expectations for a faster pace of rate, which triggered a major sell-off in markets. While United States 10-Year yields soared to four year highs.
In the Federal Reserve’s beige book report Wednesday, the central bank reported most districts saw employers raise wages and expand benefit packages in response to tight labor market conditions.
2. Canada Jobs Data To Show Rebound In Labor Market
The Canadian labor market data is expected have rebounded in February after surprise slump in the previous month left many traders questioning the underlying strength of the economy.
Economists forecast Canada employment change to show 20,000 new jobs were created in February compared with a 88,000 decline in the previous month.
The participation rate is expected to remain steady at 65.6% while economists forecast the unemployment rate to show an unchanged reading for February.
The Bank of Canada on Wednesday left interest rate unchanged amid concerns over the labor market and uncertainties related to trade.
President Donald Trump on Thursday, as expected, signed a pair of tariffs on alumium and steel but exempted Canada and Mexico provided they were open to renegotiating NAFTA on terms more favourable to the U.S.
USD/CAD fell 0.08% to C$ 1.2902.
3. Baker Hughes Rig Count to Seal Two-Week Slump in Crude Oil Prices?
The weekly instalment of drilling activity from Baker Hughes on Friday, will provide investors with fresh insight into U.S. oil production and demand after data last week showed the number of oil rigs operating in the US rose by one to 800, the highest level since April 2, 2015.
The weekly rig count is an important barometer for the drilling industry and serves as a proxy for oil production and oil services demand.
Crude futures settled lower on Thursday and were on track for a second-straight weekly decline as negative sentiment on oil prices continued after the Energy Information Administration weekly report showed U.S. output rose to record high last week.