Markets Already Looking to NFP

[Ben Graham]

• Baseline: +74k NFP; unemployment rising to 4.3% from 4.2%.
• July: +73k with -258k net downward revisions; mounting political pressure on the BLS.
• Labour demand is cooling: Atlanta Fed Job-Switchers wage growth 4.3% y/y; NFIB shows vacancies easier to fill.
• Implications: tilts toward a 17 Sep Fed cut; risks from upside surprises and data-quality uncertainty.

The August employment report is likely to confirm a cooling in labour demand and reinforce a dovish signal for the Federal Reserve. We expect nonfarm payrolls to rise by about 74k, with the unemployment rate increasing from 4.2% to 4.3%.

US unemployment rate, source: Bloomberg.

Lessons from July: data, revisions, and political pressure

Last month unsettled markets not only because payroll growth in July was weak at 73k, but also because May and June were revised down by a combined 258k. In response, President Donald Trump accused the Bureau of Labor Statistics of manipulation and dismissed its head the same day. He has nominated the chief economist of a conservative think tank as successor, but the appointment still requires Senate confirmation. This raises concerns about politicisation of the statistical process and the credibility of subsequent releases.

US employment change, Bloomberg data.

Supply or demand: what is slowing hiring

Tighter immigration policy may have constrained labour supply at the margin, but it could be a secondary factor. Evidence points more clearly to softer demand for workers. Household surveys indicate that finding a job has become more difficult. According to the Atlanta Fed, job switchers no longer enjoy higher wage gains than job stayers. The NFIB survey shows small firms are finding it easier to fill vacancies. These signals align with a deceleration in hiring.

On the chart of the Atlanta Fed Wage Growth Tracker – Job Switchers (i.e., the median wage growth of people who changed jobs over the past year), wage dynamics are steadily slowing to 4.3% year on year in July 2025. This points to a fading job-switching premium and weakening demand for workers, which typically eases wage pressure in services and supports disinflation. The current level is close to conditions seen before the post-pandemic boom, thus arguing for a more accommodative Fed policy.

Chart of the Atlanta Fed Wage Growth Tracker – Job Switchers, source: Bloomberg

August forecast: 74k jobs and a higher unemployment rate

Given the scale of recent revisions, the initial print should be read with caution. Market baseline is a 74k increase in payrolls, close to July’s 73k. Economists surveyed by Bloomberg expect the US unemployment rate to rise from 4.2% to 4.3%., reflecting weaker demand for labour.

Implications for Fed policy

Such an outcome would strengthen the case for a rate cut at the 17 September meeting. Moderating payrolls and a higher jobless rate would support a gradual shift toward easier policy, especially after the sizeable downward revisions weakened the recent labour market narrative. At the same time, uncertainty around the integrity of the statistical process argues for care in interpreting first releases.

Market implications

Softer labour data would typically pull down front-end yields and reinforce a gentler rate path, which often weighs on the US dollar against risk-sensitive currencies and supports assets that benefit from a lower rate. However, questions about data quality could keep near-term volatility elevated across rates, FX, and equities.

Risks and watchpoints

Upside surprises in payrolls, particularly if accompanied by firm wage growth, could temper dovish pricing. Another round of negative revisions would deepen the perception of cooling. The interaction between job growth, unemployment, and pay dynamics will determine both the strength and the speed of any policy easing.

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