Thursday Afternoon Links

[CNBC] S&P 500 rises as traders brace for Friday’s jobs report after weak ADP hiring data: Live updates

[Reuters] US service sector regains speed in August; employment weak

[Reuters] US trade deficit widens in July on soaring imports

[Axios] The battle over the Fed's future moves to the Senate

[AP] Trump’s Fed nominee says he’d keep his White House job even if confirmed by the Senate

[Yahoo/Bloomberg] Trump’s Fed Pick Draws Democratic Fire at Confirmation Hearing

[Yahoo/Bloomberg] Justice Department Probing Lisa Cook for Mortgage Fraud

[AP] If Trump’s biggest tariffs get thrown out, companies could get a refund - but not consumers

[AP] Average rate on a 30-year mortgage drops to 6.5%, the lowest since last October

[Yahoo/Reuters] Fed's Williams sees gradual rate cuts if economy performs as he expects

[Yahoo/Reuters] Mexico considering imposing tariffs on China, President says

[AP] Macron says 26 countries pledge troops as a reassurance force for Ukraine after fighting ends

[Axios] MAGA escalates U.S.–India tensions into cultural clash

[Bloomberg] US Services Activity Expands at Fastest Pace in Six Months

[Bloomberg] Trump Makes Fresh Plea for Ruling Allowing Him to Oust Lisa Cook

[Bloomberg] AI Data Centers Near Tax Break With $165 Billion of Phantom Debt

[Bloomberg] Private Credit Leans on Secondaries as Investor Payouts Dwindle

[Bloomberg] California’s Hills Are Ready to Burn as Wind Season Nears

[WSJ] What to Look for in First Jobs Report Since Trump Fired BLS Chief

[FT] Trump-ally Stephen Miran makes his case to be confirmed as Fed governor

[FT] France’s vicious circle

[FT] Xi Jinping and Kim Jong Un hold talks as west fears emergence of ‘autocratic alliance’