Hey friend,
The major employment report came out this morning.
It showed the unemployment rate ticking back up to 4.4%.
More worryingly, it showed that America lost 92,000 jobs in February – when economists expected a 50,000 gain.
We also got previously delayed retail sales data from January, which indicated a 0.2% monthly drop – the biggest decline in May.
Economists had expected retail sales to be flat.
And of course, the conflict in Iran continues. Oil prices are rising.
Let’s see how the markets have been moving.
The Daily Direction
Note: All indexes closed lower yesterday and opened lower today as well – keeping all short and medium-term directions in the red.
The Daily Nugget
Remember that in the long-term, markets usually go up.
There’s a reason the stock market has been one of the best wealth builders in generations.
Over decades, investors have lived through wars, geopolitical conflicts, oil shocks, recessions, and political uncertainty.
Each one felt like a major threat at the moment.
Yet when you zoom out, the market’s long-term direction has remained the same.
The reason is simple: American business keeps moving forward.
Companies keep building new technologies, improving productivity, and creating products people want.
Industries evolve, leaders change, and new opportunities emerge.
That constant cycle of innovation and growth is what pushes earnings – and markets – higher over time.
Right now the headlines are dominated by rising tensions in Iran, doubts around the AI trade, and plenty of uncertainty.
Investors are uneasy – and that’s totally normal.
But history shows that while geopolitical events may shake markets in the short run, the long-term engine of American business has a way of carrying the market higher.
Moments like this are when discipline matters most.
Stick with the plan, keep listening to Ross, avoid the urge to make emotional decisions, and take some time to enjoy the weekend.
We’ll be back next week.
The Traders Agency Team
