economy
October 5, 2026
Economic & Market Watch
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Intelligence Brief & Dashboard
Our weekly download features both a big-picture economic dashboard and an in-depth intelligence brief covering a single facet of the economy.
In this week's brief: Overcoming Extreme Poverty.
In the News
Economy
- The U.S. economy added 29,000 jobs in September, while the unemployment rate edged up to 4.2%. Payroll growth has averaged just 45,000/month over the past year, and July and August employment gains were revised down by a combined 60,000 jobs.
- U.S. Treasury yields resumed increases Monday morning following declines on Friday’s weak jobs report. The 10-year yield breached 5.30%, the highest level since 2002.
Markets
- West Texas Intermediate crude oil futures fell below $90/barrel, extending Friday’s decline. Prices are under pressure after OPEC+ kept November production targets unchanged and Middle East oil exports outside Iran returned to around pre-war levels despite continued risks to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
- U.S. stocks opened mixed Monday, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq little changed and the Dow lower, as investors weighed softer employment growth against elevated Treasury yields and oil prices.
Current Events
- Oklahoma City is losing two of its biggest energy players as Devon Energy and Expand Energy relocate their headquarters to Houston, further reinforcing Texas’ dominance in the oil and gas sector. Their departures leave Oklahoma City without its two largest publicly traded energy companies, both of which have long played a significant role in the city’s business community and civic development.
- G7 leaders announced plans to release 100 million barrels of crude oil and diesel from strategic reserves to help ease ongoing energy-market pressures. Coordinated by the International Energy Agency, the release will begin immediately and unfold over four months, with a significant portion of diesel supplies scheduled to be made available within the first 20 days.
Meet the Team
CFC's economic research team—John Suter, Sam Kem and Antony Davies—share their expert, yet easily digestible, perspective on what you need to know.
Have feedback about the podcast? A topic you'd like the EMW team to cover? Get in touch at economicresearch@nrucfc.coop.
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Trading Economics
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