Historically, US government shutdowns have had minimal impact on the stock market. Let’s review the graphic below. Since 1976, government shutdowns of varying lengths have had little effect on stocks, as measured by the S&P 500 Index.

A couple of weeks ago, the Federal Reserve cut its key rate, the fed funds rate, by a quarter-percentage point to 4.00-4.25%. It’s the first rate cut since last December. So, is this one and done, or will there be a series of rate reductions? A speech delivered last week by Fed Chief Powell wasn’t overly dovish, but the Fed meets two more times this year, and Powell left the door open to at least one more rate cut in 2025.

To virtually no one’s surprise, the Federal Reserve slashed the target on its key interest rate—the fed funds rate—at the conclusion of its meeting on Wednesday. The only question regarding the decision was whether the Fed would cut by a quarter point (25 basis points [bp]; 1 bp = 0.01%) or 50 bp. They opted for 25 bp and a new range of 4.00-4.25%.

The only thing that might have been standing in the way between the Federal Reserve and a rate cut this week was last Thursday’s release of the Consumer Price Index (CPI). While the inflation figures weren’t particularly soft, August’s data didn’t reflect a sharp rise in prices either, all but guaranteeing that the Fed will move at Wednesday’s meeting.

For starters, the title is a simplified five-word summary of the labor market. Recall that last week, we explored the low level of layoffs. This week, we shift the focus to hiring trends. But first, let’s take a closer look at the numbers from the latest jobs report.

Initial claims for unemployment insurance measure the number of people filing for unemployment benefits for the first time. The data is released weekly, making it one of the most up-to-date indicators of labor market conditions. It is a key economic indicator because it offers a real-time snapshot of the health of the labor market.

Last week was packed with economic developments, as reports poured in from all directions. We saw the release of second-quarter Gross Domestic Product (GDP) figures, the broadest measure of goods and services produced, alongside the July jobs report.

Signed into law on July 4, the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) Act introduces sweeping changes into the tax code that could influence how you plan for and pay your taxes. Given the depth and complexity of the new law, our review is not all-encompassing. But we’ll touch on some of the key provisions.

At first glance, June’s Consumer Price Index (CPI) was reassuring. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the CPI rose 0.3% in June as expected, while the core CPI, which excludes food and energy, rose a smaller-than-forecast 0.2%, per the Wall Street Journal.

Home sales have fallen sharply over the last three years, with sales near the levels we last saw in 2008, according to the National Association of Realtors. Yet, unlike in 2008, housing prices haven’t collapsed this time around.