Good morning. In this edition:

• 💼 Slowing jobs growth
• 🙏 First millennial saint
• 🦟 The one mosquito-less country

…and much more.

Ready, Set, Go: Today’s news should be a ~3.64-minute read (969 words).

Did someone forward you this email? Subscribe here for free.

"It's the job that's never started that takes the longest to finish."

–J.R.R. Tolkien (1892-1973)

LinkedIn DMs are emptier than a college student's refrigerator during finals. At least, according to the Labor Department’s latest jobs report, which found the US economy added just 22,000 new jobs last month, far short of the ~75,000 forecasters had expected

Alongside data from August, the report revised June’s jobs figure downwards to a net negative for the month (-13,000)—the first such decline since December 2020.

• It also marks the first monthly jobs report since President Trump fired the head of the agency in charge of jobs data.
• Trump’s move came after the July release included significant downward revisions to previous months.

America’s job machine is idling

Nearly all of the new jobs added last month were in social assistance and healthcare (+46,800), according to the report. On the flip side, many industrial parts of the economy saw a hiring drought:

• The manufacturing sector saw its fourth consecutive month of job declines. It’s down 78,000 jobs since this time last year.
• The construction industry reported fewer jobs for a third straight month.
• Wholesale trade—a sector covering transportation, warehouse staff, and material handlers—has lost a combined 32,000 workers dating back to May.

Overall, unemployment remained low. The top-level figure rose from 4.2% to 4.3% in August. That’s slightly above a recent low of 3.4% in early 2023—the smallest figure in five-plus decades—but still relatively modest compared to historical averages.

Friday’s report tees up future Fed rate cuts

Analysts say the muted August jobs report all-but-guarantees that the Federal Reserve will start reducing baseline US interest rates at its next meeting later this month, and instead gives rise to a new question: How far and how fast will officials move to cut rates?

• Traders now see a ~75% chance that the Fed will make the equivalent of a quarter-point rate cut (25 basis points)—or more—at each of its three remaining policy meetings this year, per CME Group’s FedWatch tracker.
• For September, markets are pricing in an ~11% chance of a half-point rate cut (50 basis points) after Friday’s report.

Looking ahead…August's Consumer Price Index (CPI) is set to be released tomorrow, providing fresh inflation data ahead of the Fed’s next policy-making meeting, which is scheduled for September 16-17.

📊 Flash poll: Which of the following best describes your current opinion of the US jobs market?

• Positive/Good
• Neutral
• Negative/Bad

The furry member of your family deserves the best, and Ollie delivers. Get fresh, human-grade meals customized for your pup—no fillers, no preservatives. Plus, unlimited health screenings let you track their health and ensure every meal supports their wellbeing.

What makes Ollie different?

• 5 protein-packed, drool-worthy recipes even picky pups love
• Custom portions made just for your pup
• 90% of dog parents noticed improvement in 30 days of implementing health screenings

BUSINESS & MARKETS

• 🛢️ OPEC+ agrees to boost oil production by 137,000 barrels/day in October (~0.3% of total production), rolling back some previous voluntary cuts.
• 🚗 Tesla shareholders set to vote on new pay package for CEO Elon Musk; the full package (with incentives) is currently worth ~$143 billion, and would exceed $1 trillion in 2035 if all milestones are reached.
• 🇰🇷 Federal agents detain 475 people, ~300 of them South Korean nationals, in immigration raid at a Hyundai complex in Georgia; US authorities say those arrested had illegally crossed the border, entered via a visa waiver, or overstayed their visas; South Korea’s gov’t reached a deal with the US on Sunday to release the Korean citizens and send them back home.

SPORTS, MEDIA & ENTERTAINMENT

in partnership with Tuft & Needle

• 🏟️ CFB: See a full Week 2 recap (link). | NFL: See a full Week 1 recap (link).
• 🎾 US Open: Aryna Sabalenka defeated Amanda Anisimova to become the first woman to win back-to-back singles titles since Serena Williams; Carlos Alcaraz defeated Jannik Sinner in a rematch of this year’s Wimbledon final.
• 🍿 The Conjuring: Last Rites scared up $83 million in its first weekend at the domestic box office; the film’s $187 million global debut marks the second-biggest in history for a horror film, behind only It (2017).

*From our partners: 🛏️✨ New season, new sleep routine? Start fresh with Tuft & Needle's Labor Day Sale...Up to $700 off mattresses, free pillow sets with select purchases. 50% off select accessories, 20% off frames and foundations. Use code DONUTSLEEP for an additional 10% off here.

SCIENCE, SPACE & EMERGING TECH

• 📝 HHS Secretary RFK Jr. reportedly plans to publish a report suggesting that Tylenol use during pregnancy is potentially linked to autism; it also reportedly suggests a medicine derived from folate can be used to treat autism.
• 🪐 Study suggests Mars has an interior structure similar to Earth's, with a solid inner core surrounded by a liquid outer core; findings potentially resolve a longstanding mystery and could help understand how Mars evolved.
• 📱 Owning a smartphone before age 13 could drastically increase the risk of poor mental health later in life, per peer-reviewed study of 100,000+ people aged 18-24.

US, WORLD & POLITICS

in partnership with Modern Adventure

• 🎰 Two winning Powerball tickets were sold for Saturday night’s drawing—one in Missouri and the other in Texas; they’ll split a $1.79 billion jackpot, the second-largest in US lottery history.
• 🏛️ President Trump signs executive order restoring Department of War as a “secondary title” for the Department of Defense; the US gov’t had a War Department for 158 years prior to 1947.
• 🌍 Japanese PM Shigeru Ishiba announces his resignation following recent election setbacks for his party. | Carlo Acutis, aka “God's Influencer,” who died in 2006 from leukemia at the age of 15, was officially recognized as the first millennial saint by Pope Leo XIV.

*From our partners: ✈️✨ Experiences beyond the guidebook... Modern Adventure offers small-group travel and behind-the-scenes access to local craft and traditions in extraordinary destinations. Spark curiosity, gain treasured memories for a lifetime. See latest trips here.

☝️Astronomers recently confirmed that interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS, one of only three known visitors from outside our Solar System (excluding the car-sized New Jersey drones of course), doesn’t play by the usual rules. The interstellar visitor is missing several typical comet features—like water ice tails—while sporting others that make no sense at all, according to four separate telescopes.

🤔 Did you know? Iceland is the only country in the world without any mosquitoes. Scientists think it's a mix of freezing temps, volcanic soil, and isolation that makes Iceland the only place where summer nights aren’t punctuated by constant arm and leg slapping.

📰 Worth a read: This is the world’s biggest animal migration—and few outsiders have seen it

🖱️ Clickbait: What drink is healthier: alcohol or THC?

✨ Harry Josh Pro Cordless Ceramic 1" Curling Wand for $34.99... Nano Silver Tourmaline barrel for smooth, shiny, frizz-free curls. Includes 2 batteries. Save $290 here.

🍲 Calphalon Select 14-Piece Space-Saving Cookware Set for $159.99… Save up to 30% more space. AquaShield nonstick technology keeps pans performing like new 40% longer. Save $140 here.

🍴 FineDine Glass Meal Prep Containers with Lids for $24.99… Airtight, leakproof, and free from harmful chemicals, keeping your food safe and secure. Includes 6 containers. Save $95 here.

Monday: First Monday Night Football of the NFL season (Vikings vs. Bears)

Tuesday: Only Murders in the Building Season 5 hits Hulu

Wednesday: World Suicide Prevention Day

Thursday: Weekly US unemployment claims

Friday: The Long Walk and Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale hit theaters; Ed Sheeran drops new album Play

On Friday, we covered a new bipartisan bill that would ban members of Congress from trading or owning stocks in an effort to prevent profiting from insider knowledge, marking the strongest such attempt in recent years.

❓ Our question to you: Which of the following best describes your opinion on how the financial investments of Congress and their immediate family should be governed?

• Allowed to participate in the market without insider info: 13%
• Shouldn’t own individual stocks, but other investments are okay: 29%
• Shouldn’t own any market-based financial investments: 49%
• Unsure/other: 9%

Click here to read some of the most thoughtful longform responses.

+Note on sample size: We received 1,024 votes and 93 longform responses.

Guess the definitions of the following Greek/Latin root words.

1. Arthr
2. Cav
3. Digit
4. Fusc
5. Kilo

⛰ 102-year-old Kokichi Akuzawa just became the oldest person to summit Mt. Fuji. The centenarian, who bounced back from heart failure a few years ago, also snagged a Guinness World Record after climbing to Japan’s tallest peak.

1. Arthr = Joint (e.g., arthritis)
2. Cav = Hollow (cavity)
3. Digit = Finger (digital)
4. Fusc = Dark (obfuscation)
5. Kilo = Thousand (kilogram)