U.S. stock exchanges traded without a single direction this Thursday after the release of the June jobs report, known as payroll. The indicator showed that job creation came in well below market expectations, fueling new projections for the Federal Reserve's next steps and influencing both stocks and the cryptocurrency market.
At the time of publication, the S&P 500 was up 0,13%, at 7.493,27 pontos, while the Dow Jones rose 0,77%, to 52.706,51 pontos. The Nasdaq fell 0,34%, to 25.951,33 pontos, pressured mainly by technology companies. Meanwhile, the volatility index VIX recorded a gain of 1,27%, to 16,80 points, while gold rose 1,38%.
The Bitcoin followed the positive movement of risk assets and was traded at US$ 61.672,46, accumulating a gain close to 4%. The appreciation occurred amid the perception that a weaker labor market may reduce the need for further interest rate hikes in the United States.
The main highlight of the day was the non-farm payrolls report. The U.S. economy created only 57 thousand jobs in June, a result well below the expectation of 113 thousand new jobs.
At the same time, the unemployment rate came in at 4,2%, slightly below the projection of 4,3%. Although this indicator showed some stability, the slower pace of job creation caught investors' attention.
The figures interrupted a three-month streak of more consistent growth in the labor market. As a result, bets increased that the Federal Reserve may keep interest rates unchanged at the next meetings, although some analysts still see room for an increase by the end of the year if inflation accelerates again.
Market behavior was also influenced by recent statements from the president of the Federal Reserve, Kevin Warsh, who called for greater attention to economic indicators, especially payroll, as a reference for future monetary policy decisions, rather than relying only on signals from the monetary authority.
Meanwhile, the technology sector continued to face pressure. Shares of South Korean semiconductor manufacturers posted sharp losses, affecting investor sentiment toward companies linked to artificial intelligence.
In South Korea, the Kospi index fell as much as 7,9%. Among the negative highlights were SK Hynix, down more than 14%, and Samsung Electronics, which lost more than 9%, even after announcing billion-dollar investments in artificial intelligence.
In addition to the economic data, investors followed developments in the negotiations between the United States and Iran. Qatar, which acts as a mediator in the talks, said that this week's meetings were positive, although they have not yet produced an agreement.
The prospect of continued dialogue contributed to the drop in oil prices, while markets continue to monitor new economic indicators capable of influencing the Federal Reserve's next decisions. For the cryptocurrency market, the combination of expectations for interest rates and greater appetite for risk assets continues to be one of the main factors watched by investors.