{
  "id": 5553779,
  "title": "Stocks mixed before US jobs data, oil dips",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/04/stocks-mixed-before-us-jobs-data-oil-dips",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-09-04T11:48:48.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Malaysia Today",
    "slug": "free-malaysia-today-freemalays",
    "url": "https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/business/2026/09/04/stocks-mixed-before-us-jobs-data-oil-dips"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "On Friday, European stock markets fluctuated following gains among Asian markets. Investors are eagerly awaiting US jobs data for clues about the Federal Reserve's potential interest rate hike. Oil prices experienced a decline after increasing this week due to further escalation of the US-Iran conflict, although they remained above $90 a barrel. In the United States, diesel fuel prices hit a record high of $5.85 per gallon, raising concerns about inflation pressures in the country's largest economy. Expectations that increasing prices may prompt central banks globally to raise rates have driven government bond yields upward, but they softened on Friday. Market expert Dan Coatsworth noted that despite recent volatility, investors have grown more composed. At a recent Federal Reserve meeting, member Christopher Waller indicated that his vote would be influenced by upcoming inflation data, suggesting he might hold rates if the data showed a softer reading. Waller emphasized that the decision on policy will heavily depend on the August inflation figures released next week. Policymakers are striving to reduce inflation while maintaining robust economic growth. Friday's release of US non-farm payrolls for August is expected to be a critical indicator, with analysts predicting around 55,000 new jobs after a surprise drop in July. In the corporate sector, Volkswagen shares surged over 6% after the company announced plans to cut 100,000 jobs by the end of the decade due to US tariffs, low electric car demand, and intense competition from China. The job cuts represent approximately 15% of the global workforce for Europe's largest automotive manufacturer.",
  "summary": "Oil prices eased after surging this week on a fresh escalation of the US-Iran war, though still above US$90 a barrel.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "Stocks mixed before US jobs data, oil dips",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/04/stocks-mixed-before-us-jobs-data-oil-dips-5554102",
        "published": "2026-09-04T11:48:48.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}