Unemployment, Inflation, and the Policy Path Ahead

Eurizon SLJ Capital

Eurizon SLJ Capital
Unemployment, Inflation, and the Policy Path Ahead
Aug 22, 2025
Eurizon SLJ Capital

In this week’s episode of The Long and Short of the Week Ahead, Matt Jones is joined by Neil Staines to explore the shifting global policy landscape following another complex week for markets.

We look ahead to Jackson Hole, where central bankers gather against a backdrop of conflicting signals: slowing labour markets, tariff-driven inflation, and divergent regional challenges. While Powell’s Friday speech is the headline, Neil highlights why Bailey, Lagarde, and Ueda may ultimately carry the more interesting messages for markets this time.

On the data front, a relatively quiet week still brings important releases, from the RBA minutes to German labour market indicators, Japanese retail sales, and the US PCE. Emerging market watchers will also note Polish unemployment, Mexican trade, and Czech and Indian GDP.

Zooming out, the UK’s fiscal deterioration and budget outlook remain a central theme, while in the US, the unemployment rate, hovering near the 4.3–4.5% policy-sensitive threshold, anchors the debate. With signs of slowing wage growth and waning sectoral catch-up, labour market demand is increasingly under scrutiny.

Neil also shares his weekend sporting highlights and closes with what he’s going long and short this bank holiday weekend.

Key Topics This Week:

  • Global central bank dynamics: Powell, Bailey, Lagarde, and Ueda
  • Data highlights: RBA minutes, German labour market, US PCE, and EM releases
  • Macro focal points: UK fiscal tightening and US unemployment as the key policy triggers
  • Weekend sport and Neil’s long & short calls

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