U. S. Jobs Data: A Test for the Economy

The U. S. economy is under the spotlight as investors wait for important jobs data. Treasury yields saw a slight rise on Thursday, showing that people are paying close attention to what's happening in the job market and around the world. Treasury yields, which measure the return on government debt, went up a bit. The 10-year yield reached 4. 169%, while the 2-year yield was at 3. 484%, and the 30-year bond yield hit 4. 848%. Remember, when yields go up, bond prices usually go down. New jobless claims went up by 8, 000 last week, but they were still lower than what experts expected. This is good news, but it's not the whole picture. The Federal Reserve is watching closely because they need to understand the job market before they make their next move.The government shutdown last year made it hard to gather accurate data, so this upcoming report is extra important. Experts think the economy added 73, 000 new jobs in December, which is better than the 64, 000 added in November. They also expect the unemployment rate to drop to 4. 5%. Investors are also keeping an eye on global events, like the situation in Venezuela and U. S. President Donald Trump's interest in Greenland. These factors can affect the economy and the stock market. All eyes are on Friday's jobs report. It will give a clearer picture of where the economy is headed and what the Federal Reserve might do next. The report is set to be released at 8:30 a. m. ET.