in February, the worst since the Pandemic. The Headline Unemployment Rate rose to 4.4%. The recession is here. Imagine what the March numbers will look like with the war and a stock market crash. The report calls into question whether the labor market is actually steadying. While job growth jumped in January and unemployment insurance claims have settled at a low level, companies may be starting to follow through on a series of previously announced layoffs.

up 50% so far this year. Some 90 tankers a day are prevented from passing through the Straits of Hormuz, and 8 have been hit by missiles so far. The Wall Street Journal reported that Kuwait has begun cutting production at some oil fields after running out of places to store bottled-up crude, the latest sign of a hit to supply in the region. Citigroup Inc estimates that the crude oil market is losing 7 million to 11 million barrels a day of supply due to the disruption through Hormuz.

another recessionary indicator. Inventories ​advanced 1.6% on a year-over-year basis in December. ​The report was delayed by last year's shutdown of the federal government.

portending a move in inflation to mid-single digits. If the conflict prolongs, the airline could see an impact in the second quarter as well. Fuel ​prices have jumped by 15% in the past week, adding to the pressure ​on an airline industry already hit hard by the conflict, ⁠which has led to more than 20,000 flight cancellations and left thousands ​of passengers stranded.

Investors divested a net $21.92 billion of ​U.S. equity funds during the week in their largest ​weekly net sales since January 7. Money market funds spar. As the conflict in the Middle East entered ​its seventh day on Friday, oil prices were on track ​for the biggest weekly gains since early 2022, fanning worries of inflation, potentially delaying rate cuts by the U.S. Federal Reserve. U.S. growth funds ​suffered $11.15 billion worth of outflows, the biggest for a ​week since December 17, 2025. Investors still bought $146 million worth of ‌value ⁠funds, logging a fourth weekly net purchase.