Jobs Report Preview (Recovery On/Recovery Pause/Recovery Stall)

What’s in Today’s Report:

• Jobs Report Preview:  Recovery On/Recovery Pause/Recovery Stall

Futures are moderately lower following lack of progress on the stimulus bill, combined with further escalation of U.S./China tech tensions.

Markets were hoping for a stimulus deal by today, but there’s been no progress on negotiations for two days.  So while the market still fully expects a deal by next week, there is disappointment that it likely won’t get done by the end of this week.

U.S./China geo-political tensions continue to rise as President Trump issued an executive order banning U.S. transactions with the parent companies of TikTok and WeChat.

Focus today will be on the Employment Situation report and expectations are as follows:   Job Adds: (E) 2.0M, Unemployment Rate: (E) 10.5%.

Bottom line, the strong economic data from earlier this week has made this jobs report more important than it was going to be, as this morning’s number now has the chance to signal the economic recovery is still on (a positive for stocks) or increase concern it’s stalling (which will be a headwind on equities, especially at these levels).