Insights 
VT 
The labour market is slowing, yet remains robust in several aspects. Despite revisions indicating a slowdown, businesses are not on the brink of significant layoffs. The current jobs data would not have altered the Federal Open Market Committee’s recent decision. The balance of risks between employment and inflation is shifting, with potential adjustments to employment priorities.
tariff impacts on economic conditions
The inflation risk is assessed as higher than employment risks. There is a complex environment, with challenges on both sides of the Federal Reserve’s mandate. Tariffs are behaving unpredictably, which complicates the outlook for inflation and economic conditions. If tariffs prove effective, their impacts cannot be disregarded.
Tariffs have been ingrained in consumer psychology for an extended period. It will require time for companies to adjust their pricing strategies to incorporate tariff changes fully. The current policy environment is under active debate, with an expectation of one interest rate cut by the end of the year. There is a need to observe how evolving data might influence future decisions. With new information, reevaluation of existing strategies is deemed necessary.
We are in a very difficult environment where risks are on both sides of the Fed’s mandate. The labor market is clearly slowing down, but inflation remains a bigger worry for now. This creates a state of active debate within the Fed on just how restrictive policy really is.
Today’s August 1st jobs report highlights this conflict, showing a gain of 190,000 but with downward revisions to June and May totaling 75,000 jobs. With the latest core PCE inflation data from June 2025 still at 2.8%, we are well above the Fed’s target. This data mix reinforces the idea that the Fed will likely hold rates steady for now.
trading in times of uncertainty
This uncertainty suggests that we should consider trading volatility itself. The CBOE Volatility Index, or VIX, has been elevated, recently hovering around 18, reflecting this market tension. Buying options straddles on equity indexes or interest rate futures ahead of the next CPI or jobs report could be a prudent way to play potential big market moves.
While one rate cut is still expected this year, its timing is highly uncertain. We should watch for any further deterioration in employment data, like weekly jobless claims rising above 300,000, as the trigger for the Fed to act. This makes options on SOFR futures for the fourth quarter of 2025 an interesting way to position for a potential cut.
The ongoing risk from tariffs adds another layer of complexity that we can’t ignore. We saw a similar dynamic back in 2018 and 2019, where trade tensions complicated the Fed’s decisions and ultimately led to a policy reversal. If these new tariffs stick, they could push up prices and force the Fed to delay any cuts, even if the job market weakens.
