Finance

Recent non-farm payroll data revealed that the U.S. economy added only 57,000 jobs in June, significantly trailing the forecast of 110,000. This softer labor market reading has led investors to reduce their expectations for an immediate interest rate increase at the Federal Reserve's upcoming July meeting. Despite the hiring slowdown, the national unemployment rate remained relatively stable, ticking down slightly to 4.2%.

The technology-heavy Nasdaq Composite faced downward pressure this week, falling 0.8% on Thursday as a significant global selloff in chipmakers continued. Heavy profit-taking hit major names like Micron, while investors shifted capital into defensive sectors such as healthcare and financials. This rotation comes as market participants assess high valuations and concerns over the near-term capacity of artificial intelligence infrastructure.

Gold surged past $4,100 per ounce, gaining over 2% following the disappointing U.S. jobs report and a weakening dollar. The precious metal is benefiting from its status as a safe-haven asset as investors weigh persistent inflation risks against a cautious growth outlook for the second half of 2026. Silver also saw gains, rising 2.5% to approximately $59.83 per ounce as the broader precious metals complex advanced.