Investors are growing increasingly confident that the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates by the end of the year, as labor market data has shown signs of cooling in recent weeks. Data from the Department of Labor released Thursday showed 1.974 million continuing claims were filed in the week ending June 14, up from 1.937 million the week prior and the highest level seen since November 2021. Economists see an increase in continuing claims as a sign that those out of work are taking longer to find new jobs. "Employment risks are trending higher," Jefferies US economist Thomas Simons wrote in a note to clients on ... (full story)