Fed Rate Decision in Focus as Productivity Jumps, Jobless Claims Rise and Manufacturing Sector Outperforms
Key Points:U.S. jobless claims jumped to 226K, exceeding forecasts and signaling possible labor market softening.Despite 4.0% wage growth, Q2 unit labor costs rose just 1.6% thanks to strong productivity gains.Durable goods productivity soared 3.3%, while unit labor costs in that segment fell—positive for industrials.Jobless Claims and Productivity Trends Set Complex Tone for U.S. MarketsU.S. jobless claims and labor productivity data released Thursday delivered mixed signals for traders, as ris