NAS100 - Stock Market Awaits Employment Data!US 100CAPITALCOM:US100Ali_PSNDThe index is above the EMA200 and EMA50 on the four-hour time frame and is in its long-term ascending channel. If the upward momentum decreases, we can expect a correction to the demand range and buy Nasdaq in that range with an appropriate reward for the risk. According to reports released over the weekend, UBS stated that there is a 93% probability of the U.S. economy entering a recession this year. This figure implicitly suggests that the country may already be in recession, though some analysts remain skeptical of such a direct conclusion. UBS’s projection is based on indicators such as personal income, consumption, industrial production, and employment. The bank warned that the U.S. economy has reached “historically troubling levels,” though no outright collapse has yet occurred. Analysts at UBS described the economy as “weak, soft, and fragile,” while noting that a definitive declaration of recession has not been made. In the United States, an official declaration of recession is the responsibility of the Business Cycle Dating Committee at the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER), which typically makes such calls with a lag of 6 to 18 months after the recession has started. Their assessment relies on revised data covering GDP, employment, income, sales, and production, and they generally avoid premature decisions. In the meantime, policymakers and markets tend to act on real-time indicators such as GDP estimates, jobs data, yield curve signals, and credit spreads. In practice, traders react more strongly to price movements than to formal definitions of recession. Separately, Michael Feroli, chief U.S. economist at J.P. Morgan, dismissed Fed board member Steven Miran’s call for cutting rates to 2.5% or lower. The bank has maintained its forecast for gradual 25-basis-point cuts, targeting a range of 3.25% to 3.5% by early next year. A potential Supreme Court case involving Fed board member Lisa Cook has also emerged as a “wild card,” since a ruling against her could undermine the positions of other members as well. J.P. Morgan has warned that politicization of the Federal Reserve would leave the institution more vulnerable to pressure from a Trump administration on monetary policy. The U.S. dollar remained relatively strong this week, as investors continued to parse the Fed’s less-dovish stance. While the latest dot plot showed policymakers aligned with the market on two additional rate cuts this year, the median dot for 2026 pointed to only one more 25-basis-point reduction. By contrast, markets still expect as many as three cuts next year. However, following Chair Jerome Powell’s cautious tone on Tuesday—emphasizing that the Fed must continue balancing the competing risks of elevated inflation and a weakening labor market—investors scaled back some of their bets. Inflation risks remain significant. The OECD highlighted this week that the full effects of tariff hikes are still unfolding. What supports Powell’s cautious approach is that, despite signs of labor market weakness, the Fed’s own forecasts remain relatively optimistic, with economic activity showing resilience. The Atlanta Fed’s GDPNow model projects 3.3% growth for Q3. Although last week’s inflation data failed to dampen market optimism for rate cuts—and equities continued their rally—the focus in the coming week will shift back to labor market conditions. The week begins Monday with pending home sales data. On Tuesday, the JOLTS job openings report and the consumer confidence index will be released. Wednesday brings private-sector employment data from ADP, followed by the ISM Manufacturing PMI. On Thursday, weekly jobless claims will be published as usual. All of these releases will build up to Friday’s critical nonfarm payrolls (NFP) report, widely seen as the market’s ultimate test.Investors will closely monitor whether recent labor market weakness persists, and whether the Fed can move another step toward a rate cut at the October meeting. Finally, the ISM Services Index will provide a more comprehensive picture of U.S. economic health. Ahead of the jobs data, traders may also take note of remarks from several Fed officials, including Vice Chair Jefferson, New York Fed President Williams, Atlanta Fed President Bostic, Chicago Fed President Goolsbee, and Dallas Fed President Logan. The ADP and NFP releases on Wednesday will likely provide the first snapshot of September labor market performance.