Publication date: Jan. 2, 2026

The week ahead: Labor figures US

In Money Care's weekend report, we present you with the overview of the (macroeconomic) events that could cause movement in the stock markets.

Review of last week:

Whenever there are exciting events or substantial movements in equity markets in a week, we explain them in detail. In the past week, there was none of this. The equity markets closed the last trading week quietly and generally slightly positive. The AEX closed the year 2025 with a gain of 8.3%.

Upcoming week:

As reported in the previous edition, for the coming month the development of the labor market and inflation in the U.S. are of great importance. These two pillars of the Fed will provide direction for equity markets. Friday at 2:30 p.m., the monthly labor figures from the U.S. (NFP) will be reported. Expectations are at modest levels. For now, the market is taking into account an increase in hourly earnings of 0.3% in December. This was down from 0.1% in November.

Furthermore, the market expects 55 thousand new jobs in December. This is a low estimate. Finally, the unemployment rate is expected to be 4.5%. This is a slight decrease from the 4.6% for November.

If the U.S. labor market does not pick up soon and inflation continues to fall toward the desired 2% level, then interest rates will be cut further in the short term. At that point, equity markets and crypto markets will start to benefit. Should the December NFP show a more economically positive outcome than what is expected, the interest rate cuts of the past period have apparently worked. At that point, the Fed will see no reason to cut interest rates further which will most likely cause equity markets to react negatively.

The stock market calendar week 2

Herewith the most important macroeconomic data for the coming week. The data may cause additional movement in the financial markets.

Monday, January 5, 2026:

Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026:

United States:

• 14.30 Services Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) December

EU:

• 14.00 German CPI December

Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026:

• 6.30 Dutch CPI
• 11.00 EU CPI

Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026:

Friday, Jan. 9, 2026:

United States:

• 14.30 NFP December

Please note that dates and times of these events may change. For the most up-to-date information, it is advisable to consult the official communication channels of the relevant organizations and authorities.

Disclaimer: Investinginvolves risks. Our analysts are not financial advisors. Always consult an advisor when making financial decisions. The information and tips provided on this website are based on our analysts' own insights and experiences. They are therefore for educational purposes only.