U.S. Stocks Edge Up Amid Fragile Sentiment: ADP Jobs Data Disappoints

Hold onto your hats, folks! U.S. stocks kicked off Wednesday, June 4, with a slight uptick, but don't get too comfy. The market's feeling jittery as the latest report on private-sector hiring growth came in weak, putting a damper on the overall economic vibe.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average strutted in 95 points higher, aiming to keep its four-day winning streak alive. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite also nudged into the green, up 0.2% and 0.3% respectively. But let's not pop the champagne just yet.

Sure, stocks might eke out a fifth day of gains, but the mood's still on thin ice. Lousy jobs numbers, never-ending tariff tussles, and policy flip-flops are keeping investors on their toes. The market's been doing the cha-cha between hope and hesitation for months, thanks to those rollercoaster trade talks and economic signals.

ADP Jobs Data Disappoints

The latest gut punch came from ADP, the payrolls processing giant. Their report? A measly 37,000 private-sector jobs added in May, down from 60,000 in April and way below the expected 110,000. That's the slowest job growth since March 2023, folks.

Now all eyes are on Friday's nonfarm payrolls report, which better come in hot with an expected 125,000 jobs for May. Investors are clinging to every scrap of economic data, trying to figure out their next move, short and long-term.

As stocks edged up, Bitcoin (BTC) was clinging to life above $105k. Meanwhile, gold was chilling around $3,382.

Tariffs and interest rates are still the hot topics for investors, with the U.S.-China trade talks still a wild card. And let's not forget the Federal Reserve's interest rate policy. President Donald Trump's at it again, slamming Fed Chair Jerome Powell.

After that ADP data dropped, Trump took to Truth Social and let loose:

"ADP NUMBER OUT. 'Too Late' Powell must now LOWER THE RATE. He is unbelievable!!! Europe has lowered NINE TIMES!"