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U.S. Employment Slowdown Paves the Way for a New Monetary Easing Cycle

The latest U.S. employment data confirms a clear slowdown in the labor market. In August, only 22,000 jobs were added, compared to the 73,000 expected, confirming trends previously indicated by the JOLTS survey and ADP data. This weakness triggered an immediate bond market reaction: the 2-year Treasury yield dropped 10 basis points to 3.49%, signaling that the Federal Reserve may adopt monetary easing at its next meeting.

In this context, the dollar is weakening, equity markets are rising, and gold continues to hit record highs. The economic environment therefore favors investment strategies that capitalize on equity growth while hedging against uncertainty with safe-haven assets.

Why to stay invested for now:

  • Benefit from accommodative monetary policy: A weaker dollar and lower interest rates support equities, particularly in technology and cyclical sectors.

  • Gain exposure to equity market rebound: U.S. indices benefit from increased liquidity and positive sentiment.

  • Diversification and protection: Safe-haven assets such as gold and long-term bonds help reduce risk in a volatile macroeconomic environment.

Concrete Investment Options:

  1. U.S. Growth & Tech Stocks and ETFs

    • Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ): Exposure to the Nasdaq 100 and major tech companies.

    • SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY): Broad diversification across the U.S. market.

  2. Safe-haven Assets and Commodities

    • SPDR Gold Shares (GLD): Direct access to physical gold for inflation protection.

    • iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF (TLT): Exposure to long-term bonds to secure the portfolio.

Recommendation:
In the current macroeconomic context, a balanced portfolio combining U.S. growth equities with safe-haven assets such as gold and long-term bonds offers an optimal trade-off between performance and protection. Investors can benefit from the stimulative effects of monetary easing while hedging against risks linked to volatility and economic uncertainty.