Monday's Market Minute: Volatility Is Back

Last week the market consumed a barrage of information from weaker than expected PMI data to a slowdown in Personal Spending & Income. But the finale was Chairman Jerome Powell’s speech at the Jackson Hole Symposium. His remarks, maybe a bit more hawkish than equity traders expected, outlined the Fed’s determination to combat inflation and the unfortunate, but necessary, impact Fed policy will have on the economy.

After the remarks equity markets immediately sold off as the VIX spiked above 25. Equity traders have been hopeful that the Fed is nearing the end of the rate hiking cycle and pricing in the possibility of rate cuts in the first half of 2023. Those expectations appear to be fading away rapidly.

This week brings another heavy dose of economic data critical in shaping Fed policy. The highly anticipated Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTs) will be a key area of focus for traders as the “soft landing” narrative beings to be tested.

The market is expecting approximately 10.30M job openings, a drop of 400,000 jobs from the previous reading. ISM Manufacturing PMI, Non-Farm Employment Change, and Factory Orders will round out the week.

Image sourced from Shutterstock

This post contains sponsored advertising content. This content is for informational purposes only and not intended to be investing advice.