The US labor market is showing a growing divide between weaker hiring and persistently low layoffs. Companies appear increasingly cautious about expanding their workforces, but there is still little evidence of widespread job cuts.

This combination points to a gradual cooling in employment conditions rather than a sharp deterioration.

US producer inflation showed further signs of easing in July, adding to expectations that the Federal Reserve may have more flexibility to keep interest rates unchanged. The Producer Price Index (PPI) for final demand was flat month-on-month, coming in below market forecasts.

US inflation showed further signs of cooling in July 2026, although price pressures remained above the Federal Reserve's target. Consumer prices increased 0.1% month-on-month, following a 0.4% decline in June, while annual inflation eased to 3.4% from 3.5%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

German inflation accelerated in July as higher energy costs pushed consumer prices higher, even as underlying inflation showed signs of cooling.

Artificial intelligence investment is becoming increasingly capital-intensive, pushing some of the world's largest technology companies to rely more heavily on debt. As spending on data centers, advanced chips, and computing infrastructure rises, borrowing is taking a larger role in financing the AI buildout.

The US economy unexpectedly lost 23,000 jobs in July 2026, falling well short of expectations for an 80,000 increase.

US labor productivity grew faster than expected in the second quarter, suggesting businesses became more efficient despite only modest increases in working hours.

Germany's factory orders rose 3.1% in June, far exceeding market expectations of 0.3% and marking the strongest monthly increase since March. The rebound followed a weaker performance in May, pointing to improving demand across parts of the manufacturing sector.