Investors Await Supportive Data For Upcoming Trades

After the release of official jobs data, commodity markets are now looking for more data to confirm expectations for a September rate cut, starting with U.S.inflation figures. The U.S. CPI is expected to rise by 0.1 per cent after being unchanged in May, while the Core CPI is expected to remain steady at 0.2 per cent.

In the past fortnight, the dollar was strong above 105, supported by Fed Chair Jerome Powell's dovish comments and tensions in the Middle East. Powell acknowledged progress in reducing inflation but said more evidence is needed before lowering interest rates. An unexpected increase in U.S. job openings in May pushed the dollar to a two-month high of 106, but it fell to 104.88 after the jobs report showed a steady slowdown in the labour market.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the U.S. added 2,06,000 non-farm payroll jobs in June, higher than the estimated 1,90,000, but job growth for the prior two months was revised down by 1,11,000. The unemployment rate rose to 4.1 per cent, the highest since November 2021, and wage growth slowed to 3.9 per cent annually, the smallest increase in three years.