The labor market’s growth slowed again in April, according to today’s ADP Employment Report. The 119,000 net gain in private payrolls last month is the smallest increase since last September. It’s also a sign for expecting that Friday’s official jobs report from the federal government will also reflect a tepid rise in the pace of hiring.
Daily Archives: May 1, 2013
Major Asset Classes | April 2013 | Performance Review
Foreign assets in US dollar terms topped the list of winners in April among the major asset classes, supported by a weak dollar. The US Dollar Index posted its first calendar-month decline in April (-1.5%) this year, providing a tailwind for foreign stocks and bonds after translating the returns into greenbacks. But the gains in offshore markets was still no match for the US REIT market, which tops the list for April with a hefty 6.7% increase, based on the MSCI REIT Index–the biggest monthly rise for the asset class in more than a year. At the opposite end of the spectrum: commodities, which shed 2.8% last month, according to the Dow Jones-UBS Commodities Index.