Global markets closed mixed on Thursday, September 5th, as investors eagerly awaited crucial jobs data that could shape the Federal Reserve’s upcoming rate decisions. While positive economic reports provided a brief lift, the S&P 500 and Dow finished lower, reflecting a cautious sentiment among investors. The Nasdaq, however, ended slightly higher.
In the U.S., private businesses added 99,000 jobs in August, falling short of market expectations of 145,000. While this report hinted at some labor market weakness, initial jobless claims fell by 5,000 to 227,000 for the week ending August 31st, slightly better than the anticipated 230,000.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed down 0.54% at 40,755.75, while the S&P 500 ended the day lower by 0.30% at 5,503.41. The Nasdaq Composite bucked the trend, rising 0.25% to close at 17,127.66.
Across the globe, Asian markets also experienced mixed performance. Japan’s Nikkei 225 closed lower by 0.62% at 36,422.50, while Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 gained 0.39%, ending the session at 8,013.40. India’s Nifty 50 declined 1.17%, closing at 24,852.15, and the Nifty 500 closed lower by 1.20% at 23,477.70. China’s Shanghai Composite was down 0.81%, ending the session at 2,765.81, and the Shenzhen CSI fell 0.81%, closing at 3,231.35. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng ended the session flat at 17,444.30.
European markets also traded lower, with the European STOXX 50 index declining 0.42%. Germany’s DAX fell 0.56%, France’s CAC was down 0.23%, and the U.K.’s FTSE 100 index traded lower by 0.39%.
In the commodities market, crude oil prices held steady as investors awaited the U.S. jobs data. However, both Brent and WTI were headed for weekly losses. Concerns over U.S. and Chinese demand, along with delayed OPEC+ output increases, continued to weigh on prices. Natural gas gained 1.24% to $2.284. Gold was trading higher by 0.24% at $2,549.50, Silver gained 0.32% to $29.192, and Copper rose 0.17% to $4.1445.
Looking ahead, analysts are expecting the payroll report to significantly influence the Federal Reserve’s upcoming rate decisions. With global shares hovering near three-week lows, oil facing its worst week since 2023, and the dollar weakening, the upcoming jobs data holds immense importance for investors worldwide.
