Adventures In Finance: A Real Vision Podcast

U.S. non-farm payrolls delivered a major upside surprise. The U.S. economy added 130,000 jobs, roughly double expectations, while unemployment fell to 4.3%. The data suggests labor market stabilization despite recent economic uncertainty. Stocks initially reacted positively, though tech names continued to weigh on broader indices. The Dow closed at record highs for a third straight session, while the Nasdaq and S&P lagged amid pressure on Alphabet and brokerages. In Asia, the Nikkei and Taiwan exchange surged to fresh all-time highs, while the yen strengthened further. China’s vehicle sales fell 3.2% year-on-year amid persistent deflation pressures, and Bitcoin slipped back below $67,000 as talks over crypto market structure and stablecoin yields stalled. Meanwhile, LayerZero’s ZRO token jumped over 20% following the launch of a new institutional-focused blockchain. A mixed but consequential day across macro, equities, FX, and crypto.