The U.S. economy added only 73,000 jobs in July, far below expectations, leading to calls for the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates. Market expectations for a rate cut in September surged to 80% after the disappointing report. The unemployment rate ticked up to 4.2%, raising concerns about the labor market’s strength. Fed officials had previously warned about labor market softness, which now appears more significant. President Trump’s escalation of trade tensions added to investor uncertainty, prompting consideration of defensive ETFs for uncertain economic times.

Read more at Zacks Investment Research: Defensive ETFs to Gain Attention Amid Soft Jobs Data? – August 4, 2025