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Markets take a tiny breather while job numbers stay resilient

What today's numbers mean for your money

Author

Ary Mega
December 26th, 2024 • Read this in 4 minutes

Market mood right now

  • Everything's basically flat to slightly down - no major drama

  • S&P 500 futures (ESH25): Down 0.11%

  • Nasdaq futures (NQH25): Down 0.20%

  • The actual ETFs (SPY and QQQ) are barely moving

What this means for you

  1. If you have a 401(k) or investments, don't stress - these are tiny moves

  2. For context, on a $10,000 investment in an S&P 500 fund, we're talking about like an $11 change

Smart moves to consider

  • If you're contributing to retirement accounts, keep doing it - these small daily moves don't matter for long-term investing

  • If you were planning to invest some money, these slight dips could be a normal entry point - but no need to rush

  • If you're worried about your investments, remember these are super normal daily fluctuations

Bottom line

This is a pretty chill day in the markets - nothing that requires any immediate action for most people. Keep focusing on your long-term investment strategy rather than these daily moves.

Job market status

New unemployment claims (219K) are stable, but ongoing claims (1.91M) are up slightly. Meaning, job market's still decent but showing some signs of cooling. If you're job hunting, it's still a good market but maybe not as hot as last year.

Gas and energy

Crude oil inventories are dropping significantly (-1.6M). This means gas prices might tick up a bit in the coming weeks. Maybe plan those longer drives sooner rather than later.

Interest rates and money

The 7-year note auction1 rate went up to 4.532% (was 4.183%), so interest rates are still climbing. If you're thinking about a car loan, mortgage, or carrying credit card debt, it's getting more expensive. It’s a good time to:

  1. Pay down high-interest debt if you can

  2. Consider locking in any fixed-rate loans you need

  3. Look for high-yield savings accounts - you can probably get better rates now

The Fed's balance sheet (that 6,886B number) is holding steady, which suggests they're not making any dramatic moves right now.

Quick actions you could take

  1. If you're job hunting, don't slow down - keep pushing while the market's still solid

  2. Fill up your gas tank sooner rather than later

  3. Check your savings account rate - you might find better options

  4. If you have major purchases planned that need financing, consider timing

1 The 7-year note auction is like the government's version of taking out a loan, but making it fancy. They're selling these "notes" (basically IOUs) that last 7 years, and they have to offer an interest rate that'll get people interested in buying them.

The rate just went up from 4.183% to 4.532%.

Why you should care:

  • This impacts other interest rates in the economy (like what you pay for loans)

  • Higher rates = borrowing money gets more expensive (think mortgages, car loans, etc.)

  • BUT also means = better returns on savings accounts and CDs

The real MVP moves you could make:

  • If you've got money sitting in a basic savings account, shop around - you could probably find way better rates now

  • If you're thinking about any big loans, lock in rates sooner rather than later

  • Consider checking out high-yield bonds or CDs for your savings - they're paying better than they have in years

Bottom line: Government borrowing costs went up, which means both challenges (more expensive loans) and opportunities (better savings rates) for your money.

The legal, boring disclaimer:
This breakdown is purely for educational and entertainment purposes. Markets are complex and unpredictable - never invest money you can't afford to lose. This isn't financial advice; always do your own research and consult with qualified financial professionals before making any investment decisions.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​