Equity markets held steady at near-term highs for a second day despite signs of weakening in the economy. The little-watched JOLTs report, a measure of job availability within the economy, contracted in June by the second fasted pace on record and to the lowest level in nearly a year as businesses reel in their spending plans. The news is only the latest in a string of reports that suggests peaking within the economy and the onset of lingering stagnation, if not deepening, recession. Later this week, a report from the ISM and the Non-Farm Payrolls figure could move the market as well.

The market is expecting job gains to slow on a month-to-month basis, and the figure could come in weaker than expected, which might be good news in the long run. A slowdown in hiring could help ease inflationary pressures in wages and consumer spending and get the economy back on the right track. If not, the JOLTs report could be the first signal of a worsening economic crisis caused by rampant inflation.