January Payrolls Preview - Goldman Sachs

A team of analysts in Goldman Sachs’ Global Investment Research division is out with expectation on today's monthly jobs data (NFP) from the US, slated for release during early NA session.

Key Quotes:

“We forecast that nonfarm payroll employment increased 200k in January, after an increase of 156k in December and 204k in November. Labor market indicators generally strengthened last month, with a drop in jobless claims between the survey periods to four-decade-lows and further improvement in the employment components of many service-sector and manufacturing surveys. The key labor market subcomponent of the consumer confidence report also rose to levels close to cycle highs. We also expect two temporary factors to boost January employment growth relative to surrounding months, specifically a weather-related rebound (on the order of 20-40k) and lower-than-usual year-end layoffs in the retail sector. On the negative side, we expect some pullback in transportation and warehousing payrolls following elevated growth in December, itself likely related to the secular shift toward online holiday sales.”

“We believe that the unemployment rate is likely to fall one-tenth to 4.6% (from 4.716% unrounded) – which would mark a return to the cycle low – driven by reduced year-end retail layoffs and our expectation of broader labor market improvement in January. We forecast average hourly earnings to rise 0.3% month over month and 2.8% year over year, reflecting firming labor markets and state-level minimum wage hikes. Our estimate incorporates a boost of 10 basis points from minimum wage hikes, which affected 19 states and increased the effective national minimum wage by about $0.25 (to $8.50 per hour).”