The pace of hiring at companies slowed in November, according to this morning’s monthly update from the Labor Department. The softer-than-projected gain pared the year-over-year trend to a three month low. The economy’s still creating a healthy number of jobs, but today’s results reaffirm the view that US growth has peaked.
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The latest bout of turbulence in the stock market has reshuffled leadership for US equity factor strategies, leaving the low-volatility strategy as this year’s front runner, based on a set of ETFs. Growth and momentum are still posting gains this year, but they’re now trailing, slightly, low vol. One thing that hasn’t changed: value stocks remain in the hole on a year-to-date basis, based on trading for 2018 through yesterday’s close (Dec. 6).
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Trump to name State Dept spokeswoman as UN Ambassador: The Hill
Congress OKs short-term spending bill to avert gov’t shutdown: Reuters
Fed Chair Powell says US labor market ‘very strong’: Bloomberg
ISM Non-Mfg Index in Nov near highest print in 13 years: MW
By contrast, US Services PMI for Nov reflects relatively slow growth: IHS Markit
Factory orders fell in Oct — biggest monthly slide in more than a year: Reuters
US productivity grew 2.3% in Q3, slower vs. Q2: Fox
US jobless claims fell last week, but remain near 5-month high: MW
Trade deficit for US increased to a 10-year high in Oct: CNBC
US private employment growth slowed in Nov to +179k: ADP
US job cuts fell in Nov vs. Oct, but annual change is up over 50%: CG&C
PMI: Global economic growth edged up in Nov, reaching 3-mo high: IHS Markit