April was a rough month for investors, but the rebound in asset prices in the early days of May has revived expectations that the worst has passed. A key catalyst for the turnaround in sentiment: Friday’s US payrolls data, which posted a substantially softer-than-expected rise in April. The crowd views the news as a net positive because it lifts the odds that the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates this year.

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* Hard-landing risk for US economy is rising again, predicts Citi economist
* Eurozone business activity expands at fastest pace in almost a year
* China is a key factor in gold’s rally
* AI could fuel a spike in demand for natural gas, advises Wells Fargo
* US economy appears to be cooling as hiring slows more than expected in April:

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