Economic data released on Thursday, May 7, 2026, showed that weekly jobless claims rose to 200,000, which was lower than the market expectation of 205,000. Meanwhile, preliminary Q1 productivity grew at a slower-than-expected pace of 0.8%, while unit labor costs increased by 2.3%. 

U.S. private sector employment increased by 109,000 jobs in April, according to the ADP National Employment Report released this morning, Wednesday, May 6, 2026. This result significantly outperformed the downwardly revised March gain of 61,000 and surpassed most economist forecasts, which had anticipated an increase of roughly 99,000. 

China's services sector showed a significant divergence in April 2026 between private and official data, as reported on Wednesday, May 6, 2026. 

The ISM Services PMI for April 2026 eased to 53.6%, down from March’s 54.0%. This reading missed analyst expectations of 53.7%, signaling that while the U.S. services sector continues to expand (readings above 50%), its growth momentum is slowing. 

In March 2026, U.S. job openings fell slightly to 6.866 million, down from a revised 6.922 million in February. This figure exceeded economist expectations of approximately 6.83 million, indicating resilient labor demand despite broader economic uncertainties. 

The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) raised its cash rate target by 25 basis points to 4.35% at its meeting on May 5, 2026. This marks the third consecutive hike this year, following increases in February and March, and effectively unwinds the interest rate cuts from 2025.