Weekly Business Highlights & Market Wrap-Up (Week Ending September 7, 2025)
1. Fed on the Brink of Rate Cut
The U.S. Federal Reserve is under increasing pressure to respond to a cooling labor market. Only 22,000 jobs were added in August, pushing the unemployment rate up to 4.3%—a sign of growing fragility in employment . Futures markets strongly anticipate a quarter-point rate cut at the Fed’s September 16–17 meeting, with a chance—albeit smaller—of a larger half-point reduction .
2. Inflation, Markets & Global Sentiment
The much-anticipated August U.S. inflation report, due this Thursday, looms large. Markets are watching closely—if CPI exceeds the 0.3% expected rise, it could throw the Fed’s planned easing off course . Meanwhile, Treasury yields remain elevated, particularly the long end, as investors brace for policy shifts .
3. Safe Havens Shine; Geopolitical Jitters Persist
Gold is surging, hitting fresh record highs amid economic and political unease . Broader geopolitical risks are also rising—France faces a confidence vote, the U.K. grapples with fiscal challenges, Norway heads into tight elections, and global trade tensions continue to ripple through markets.
4. Earnings Season—What to Watch Next Week
The week of September 8–12 will be packed with corporate earnings:
Monday (Sep 8): Planet Labs, Casey’s General Stores, Mission Produce
Tuesday (Sep 9): Core & Main, Hello Group, Korn/Ferry, SailPoint, AeroVironment, Calavo Growers, GameStop, Rubrik, Synopsys
Wednesday (Sep 10): Chewy—expected earnings per share of $0.33 and ~$3.1B in revenue; UBS highlights strong market position
Thursday (Sep 11): Adobe—analysts forecast $5.18 EPS on $5.9B revenue, with resilient demand despite AI-related competition
Friday (Sep 12): No major disclosures expected
Headline Insights at a Glance
Theme Key Insight
Monetary Policy Strong odds of a Fed rate cut mid-September; the inflation readout is pivotal.
Labor Market Weak job growth and rising unemployment signal softening momentum.
Safe-Haven Assets Gold’s rally underscores investor caution amid global uncertainty.
Geopolitical Risks Political uncertainty across France, UK, Norway, and ongoing trade tensions.
Earnings Season Watch for reports from Chewy and Adobe; broader lineup may shape sentiment.
What's Ahead This Week
Wednesday (Sep 10): Chewy earnings—major gauge for consumer discretionary sentiment.
Thursday (Sep 11): CPI report and Adobe earnings—likely market-moving events.
Fed Meeting (Sep 16–17): A rate cut is expected; market reaction will hinge on data and Fed’s tone.
