Markets Turn Defensive
The dollar is inching off a two-year low as investors adopt a defensive posture ahead of this morning’s Job Openings and Labor Turnover report, which is expected to confirm a cooling in US labour market conditions ahead of Friday’s non-farm payrolls report. Mentions of layoffs on corporate earnings calls have been minimal, and unemployment claims remain well below levels that have historically signalled growing stress, but economists have drastically lowered job creation forecasts*, and market participants are bracing for an imminent slowdown. Treasury yields are slipping as traders anticipate more easing from the Federal Reserve, North American equity indices are...