An onslaught of economic indicators arrived this week. To summarize: higher interest rates and inflation appear to be weighing on manufacturing and construction, yet service sector activity remains fairly resilient. Financial markets were largely focused on signs that the labor market is starting to loosen. Notably, stocks rallied early in the week following a surprisingly sharp drop in job openings. According to the latest Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS), the count of job openings plummeted by 1.1 million vacancies in August. The monthly decline was the sharpest drop since 2020 during the throes of the pandemic.
The JOLTS plunge will come as welcome news to the FOMC. Fed Chair Powell has frequently cited the high number of openings relative to the number of unemployed workers as indicative of a labor market that is too tight. August's plunge in openings is a sign that tighter monetary policy is starting to slow hiring, and possibly the inflation pressures stemming from rapid wage growth. The market reaction to the news was likely owed to the belief that a pivot towards less-hawkish monetary policy could be coming sooner than expected.
Given the steep drop in job openings, Friday’s employment report took on new significance. Payrolls rose by 263K jobs during September, a gain just a shade above market expectations. The monthly improvement reflects a slowing pace of job growth this year, however labor markets remain remarkably tight. The unemployment rate ticked back down to 3.5% during the month, matching a 50-year low. The dip in the jobless rate occurred alongside a solid rise in household employment and only mild decline in the labor force. The labor force participation rate, which is still hovering below prepandemic averages, inched down to 62.3%.
This Week's State Of The Economy - What Is Ahead? - 20 October 2023
Wells Fargo Economics & Financial Report / Oct 27, 2023
Treasury yields surged this week due to strong economic activity, impacting expectations for longer-term rates. New home sales led to a rise in single-family permits, but spiking mortgage rates are testing builder affordability strategies.
This Week's State Of The Economy - What Is Ahead? - 12 February 2021
Wells Fargo Economics & Financial Report / Feb 19, 2021
Market attention was concentrated on the January consumer price data, as inflation has come back into focus.
The Regional Breakdown Of A Labor Market In Meltdown
Wells Fargo Economics & Financial Report / May 26, 2020
Employment fell in all 50 states and 43 states saw their unemployment rate rise to a record in April. The damage is already hard to fathom-a 28% unemployment rate in Nevada and still another month of job losses ahead.
This Week's State Of The Economy - What Is Ahead? - 09 April 2021
Wells Fargo Economics & Financial Report / Apr 10, 2021
This week\'s economic data kicked of with a bang. The ISM Services Index jumped more than eight points to 63.7, signaling the fastest pace of expansion in the index\'s 24-year history.
This Week's State Of The Economy - What Is Ahead? - 29 March 2024
Wells Fargo Economics & Financial Report / Apr 03, 2024
Consumer momentum remains largely intact, inflation continues to inch back down, albeit at a slower pace, and rate-sensitive sectors stayed in a holding pattern.
This Week's State Of The Economy - What Is Ahead? - 07 August 2020
Wells Fargo Economics & Financial Report / Aug 11, 2020
There were more signs of global recovery this week and PMI surveys improved further across the world.
13 January 2021 Monthly Outlook Report
Wells Fargo Economics & Financial Report / Jan 19, 2021
The U.S. economy appears to be losing some momentum as the calendar turns to 2021 and the public health situation continues to deteriorate.
This Week's State Of The Economy - What Is Ahead? - 10 September 2021
Wells Fargo Economics & Financial Report / Sep 13, 2021
Data from the opening weekend of College Football indicates that we will have to endure another season of Nick Saban deification.
This Week's State Of The Economy - What Is Ahead? - 17 April 2020
Wells Fargo Economics & Financial Report / Apr 18, 2020
Economic data from the early stages of the Great Shutdown have finally arrived, and they are as bad as feared. ‘Worst on record’ is about to become an all too common refrain in our commentary.
This Week's State Of The Economy - What Is Ahead? - 20 September 2019
Wells Fargo Economics & Financial Report / Sep 21, 2019
The Federal Reserve reduced the fed funds rate 25 bps this week, continuing to cite economic weakness overseas and muted inflation pressures.
