Labor Market Woes, Gold's Rise, Trump's Fed Attack, Middle-Class Struggles And A Surprising Jobs Report: This Week In Economy

The past week has been a rollercoaster ride for the U.S. economy. From a rare warning sign in the labor market to a surprising jobs report, the week was filled with unexpected turns. The gold market saw a potential rise, while the Federal Reserve faced criticism from President Donald Trump. Amidst all this, the middle class’s struggles were highlighted by a renowned economist.

Here’s a recap of the top stories.

Labor Market Sends Warning Signal

The U.S. labor market is showing a concerning sign as private sector payrolls fell in June for the first time in over two years. This has raised concerns about the economy’s health and increased speculation about Federal Reserve interest rate cuts. Private employers cut 33,000 jobs last month, according to the ADP National Employment Report.

Read the full article here.

JPMorgan’s Bet on Gold

Despite U.S. stocks trading at all-time highs, JPMorgan‘s mid-year outlook suggests a potential storm brewing that could see gold soar, the dollar weaken, and markets reset in the second half of 2025. The investment bank forecasts the S&P 500 to finish the year at 6,000, implying a modest 3.5% pullback from current levels.

Read the full article here.

See Also: Apple Has the Potential To Crush Meta's Ray-Ban Smart Glasses, Says Ming-Chi Kuo, But The Tech Giant Has Been ‘Surprisingly Slow'

Trump’s Attack On Fed Chair

President Donald Trump escalated his criticism of Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, accusing him of keeping interest rates "artificially high" and insisting the benchmark should drop to “1% or 2%". Trump claimed Powell’s policies force the government to refinance roughly $9 trillion in debt at punitive costs.

Read the full article here.

US Middle Class Struggles

Economist Richard Baldwin argued that America’s middle-class struggles have less to do with globalization and more to do with a chronic failure to provide adequate social policy. Baldwin believes that unlike other advanced economies, the U.S. hasn’t implemented the policies needed to cushion economic shocks.

Read the full article here.

Surprising June Jobs Report

The official U.S. jobs report for June delivered a surprisingly sharp turnaround from the gloom triggered by ADP private payroll data just 24 hours earlier. Nonfarm payrolls increased by 147,000 in June, the strongest reading so far in 2025, up from an upwardly revised 144,000 in May and well above economists' expectations.

Read the full article here.

Read Next:

• US Stocks Likely To Open Lower After Moody's Downgrade: ‘Bear Market Isn't Fully Recovered Yet, But It Is Close,' Says Expert

This story was generated using Benzinga Neuro and edited by Ananya Gairola

Photo: Miha Creative via Shutterstock