The Fed’s labor market index aims to give a bigger picture of the economy
The Fed’s labor market index aims to give a bigger picture of the economy
The Fed today publishes its Labor Market Conditions Index for the month of April. The release follows Friday’s news that the unemployment rate dropped to 4.4 percent last month, near a 10-year low. The index, which Janet Yellen started releasing publicly in 2014, goes further than just looking at the unemployment rate and payroll job gains. It also provides a wide view of the labor market that the Fed watches for one of the two mandates. So how’s it working, and what valuable information about the health of the economy does it tell us?
Click the audio player above to hear the full story.
There’s a lot happening in the world. Through it all, Marketplace is here for you.
You rely on Marketplace to break down the world’s events and tell you how it affects you in a fact-based, approachable way. We rely on your financial support to keep making that possible.
Your donation today powers the independent journalism that you rely on. For just $5/month, you can help sustain Marketplace so we can keep reporting on the things that matter to you.
