U.S. housing starts in May saw the highest increase since 2016, along with an uptick in applications to build, indicating a rejuvenation of residential construction.
The global economy, as depicted in the June 2023's OECD Economic Outlook, is exhibiting signs of improvement — albeit with a fragile upturn and substantial downside risks.
The ISM Services PMI declined from 51.9 in April 2023 to 50.3 in May, well below market expectations of 52.2, but still indicating the fifth consecutive month of expansion in the service sector.
The latest U.S. labor market report showed a remarkable rise in nonfarm payrolls in May, with a surprising gain of 339,000, marking the strongest pace of employment growth since January 2023.
The U.S. labor market is hot and continues to show tight conditions, posing a difficult dilemma for the Federal Reserve regarding whether to raise interest rates further or hit the pause button.
The American labor market continues to demonstrate its strength, with the ADP reporting Thursday a notable and better-than-expected surge in private employment in May.
Concurrently, the Department of Labor signaled a lower-than-anticipated rise in unemployment claims last week, further reinforcing healthy conditions in the job market.