Market Brief: October 2, 2026

As we head into the weekend, all eyes are on the upcoming U.S. jobs report, which could set the tone for markets. The U.S. Dollar is trading slightly lower ahead of this key data release, while the Japanese Yen and New Zealand Dollar are showing some strength in early trading.

What's on the calendar

Today's economic calendar is packed with significant data releases. In Europe, the Core CPI and CPI Flash Estimates are due at 09:00 UTC, with forecasts of 2.5% and 3.7% respectively. Across the Atlantic, the U.S. will release its Non-Farm Employment Change, Average Hourly Earnings, and Unemployment Rate at 12:30 UTC. The employment change is expected to show a slowdown, with forecasts at 89,000 jobs added, compared to 162,000 previously. The unemployment rate is expected to remain steady at 4.1%.

What's moving

The U.S. Dollar is under pressure as traders await the Non-Farm Payrolls data. The Dollar Index has seen a slight dip, trading below recent highs. Meanwhile, the Japanese Yen has gained momentum due to stronger-than-expected inflation data from Tokyo, which has put downward pressure on the USD/JPY pair. The New Zealand Dollar is also rebounding, recovering from a three-day losing streak as traders anticipate the U.S. jobs data.

Bottom line

Today's market movements are largely driven by anticipation of the U.S. jobs report, with currencies like the Yen and New Zealand Dollar gaining ground as the Dollar weakens slightly. Key economic data from both Europe and the U.S. will be closely watched for further market direction.

This brief is a snapshot of public commentary at the time of writing — not financial advice.