{"id":48469,"date":"2026-03-04T17:38:19","date_gmt":"2026-03-04T17:38:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vtmarkets.com\/uncategorized\/bessent-voiced-confidence-in-us-jobs-while-outlining-views-on-labour-trade-and-energy-amid-volatility\/"},"modified":"2026-03-04T17:38:19","modified_gmt":"2026-03-04T17:38:19","slug":"bessent-voiced-confidence-in-us-jobs-while-outlining-views-on-labour-trade-and-energy-amid-volatility","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vtmarkets.com\/en-asia\/live-updates\/bessent-voiced-confidence-in-us-jobs-while-outlining-views-on-labour-trade-and-energy-amid-volatility\/","title":{"rendered":"Bessent voiced confidence in US jobs, while outlining views on labour, trade and energy amid volatility"},"content":{"rendered":"US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the administration expects job growth in 2025. He said lasting gains should come from the private sector, and that rising temporary work can precede wider hiring.\n\nBessent said tariffs could rise to about 15% this week, but may be temporary. He said rates could return to earlier levels in about five months while Section 301 and Section 232 reviews continue.\n\n

Jobs And Private Sector Hiring<\/h3>\nOn energy, he said oil markets are well supplied and that large volumes of crude sit outside the Gulf region. He said the United States is working with other countries and could act to help ensure safe tanker passage if needed.\n\nHe said China is exposed because it depends on imported crude, which can be disrupted by supply chain shocks. The remarks came as markets react to geopolitical strain and renewed swings in oil prices.\n\nA trade war is an economic dispute where countries raise barriers such as tariffs, leading to counter-measures. These steps can raise import costs and living costs.\n\nThe US-China trade conflict began in 2018, eased with a Phase One deal in January 2020, then persisted as tariffs stayed in place under Joe Biden. Donald Trump returned as the 47th president and imposed 60% tariffs on China on 20 January 2025.\n\n

Market Positioning And Volatility<\/h3>\nThe administration\u2019s bullish view on job creation aligns with recent data we have seen. The February 2026 jobs report showed a surprise addition of 250,000 non-farm payrolls, with temporary help services gaining for the third straight month. This underlying strength could support US equities, making call options on the SPX an attractive way to position for continued economic momentum.\n\nWe must prepare for immediate volatility with the news that tariffs could rise to 15% this week. When we look back at the initial tariff escalations in 2018, the CBOE Volatility Index (VIX) spiked over 40% in the following months. Traders should consider buying near-term VIX calls or puts on ETFs with heavy Chinese supply chain exposure, like the VanEck Semiconductor ETF (SMH).\n\nHowever, the suggestion that these tariffs may only last five months presents a clear timeline for us. This temporary nature implies that any sharp market sell-off could be a buying opportunity for those with a longer view. Selling puts with expirations in late summer 2026 on fundamentally strong companies that get oversold could be a viable strategy.\n\nOn the energy front, the efforts to calm crude markets seem to be reflected in current inventory levels. Recent EIA data from late February 2026 showed US crude stockpiles were 3% above the five-year average, providing a significant supply cushion. This suggests oil prices may struggle to sustain a rally above the recent $90 per barrel resistance level, making selling out-of-the-money call spreads on WTI futures a strategy to consider.\n\nCreate your live VT Markets account<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0start trading<\/a>\u00a0now. <\/b>\n

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Start trading now – Click here<\/a> to create your real VT Markets account <\/strong> <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Bessent projects 2025 job growth, temporary tariff hikes, stable oil supply, and renewed US-China trade tensions.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":103,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[59],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-48469","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-live-updates"],"acf":{"acf_article_selection_author":null},"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\n\t\t