Investors should keep in mind that the nonfarm payroll data is scheduled to be released on Friday. As per a survey carried out by Bloomberg, the United States is likely to add about 700,000 new jobs this month. Likewise, the rate of unemployment is projected to be 5.7% as compared to 5.8% last month.
The recent drop in the unemployment rate has been less than expected by economists. Concerns among workers about contracting the coronavirus in the workplace, extended unemployment benefits provided by the state, and childcare restrictions were the main contributors to the problem. However, thanks to an effective vaccination campaign, cases in the United States have decreased significantly, and many workers are expected to safely return to work. The reopening of major business centers such as Chicago and New York is assisting the rebound in hiring.
Gold
The price of gold tumbled on Monday due to rising investor concerns about the highly contagious Delta variant of the coronavirus and expectations of an earlier than expected interest rate hike announced by the Federal Reserve on June 16.
Dow Jones
The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.44%, while the S&P 500 index gained 0.23%.The NASDAQ, a tech-savvy index, jumped 0.98%, while the Russell 2000, a small-cap index, fell 0.52%.
Asian Stock Markets
Asian Pacific markets are on the decline today, despite the US markets closing at record highs. The Nikkei 225 index in Japan declined 0.88% in morning trade, and the Shanghai Composite index rose nearly 0.84%. As of 11:27 p.m. EST, the ASX 200 index was down 0.68%, and Seoul's KOSPI had declined 0.36%.