JOLTS and Consumer Confidence Data in Focus – April 29, 2025

• 10:00 AM ET - JOLTS Job Openings (March) - Forecast: 7.48M | Previous 7.568M | Actual 7.192M
• 10:00 AM ET - Consumer Confidence (April) - Forecast: 87.7 | Previous: 92.9 | Actual 86.0

CNBC: Consumer confidence weakest since April 2020

JOLTS Job Openings (March)

Market participants and Fed policy makers will be closely watching the Tuesday release of the JOLTS measure of job openings, which is predicted to fall slightly to 7.48 million in March. The report, which includes data on hiring, layoffs and quits, is a widely watched gauge of the labor market's health and plays an important role in guiding monetary policy.

The JOLTS report is set to be released ahead of the employment report. A significant drop in job openings could signal potential corporate capital expenditure cuts. Markets may react sharply if the JOLTS numbers deliver a major surprise.

Total non-farm job openings peaked at 12.13 million in March 2022 and have been in steady decline since, data source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics

Consumer Confidence (April)

Consumer sentiment has been in steady decline, decreasing for a fourth month in March and dipping below the range that had held widely since 2022. Levels of confidence are at post-recession lows. The analysts are playing it safe, predicting a further decline to 87.7, but any positive surprise could serve as an upside catalyst for the markets.

Consumer Confidence Index Chart, source: The Conference Board