A weak jobs report earlier this month revealed a sharp slowdown of the labor market, which could prompt the Fed to reduce borrowing costs as a means of warding off an economic slo

A Federal Reserve interest rate cut in September, the first this year, followed perhaps by another before year-end remains the base forecast for most economists polled by Reuters amid rising concerns about the health of the world's biggest economy.

Stocks might get their September interest-rate cut, but the Federal Reserve could still disappoint the market, as soon as this month.