Analyst: Non-farm payroll report slightly weaker, focus on Waller's speech later

Analyst Cameron Crise said the jobs data at first glance looked very close to the apparent consensus, albeit with a revision to the previous value. The unemployment rate fell to 4.2%, in line with the median forecast but indicating a reversal in the recent uptrend, which is somewhat comforting, especially with the participation rate unchanged and household employment rising by 168,000, close to the increase in non-farm payrolls (142,000). It is important to note that the data from previous months have been revised down 86,000, so this report is slightly weak from this perspective. This is hardly the deciding factor for a 25 or 50 basis point rate cut, so Waller's speech a few hours later is the key.