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Sunbelt cities top the list of booming U.S. job markets

Apr 3, 2023
Nine of the 10 hottest big city job markets in 2022 were in the South, according to an analysis from the Wall Street Journal and Moody's Analytics.
Nashville topped the list for 2022's hottest job market among major metropolitan areas.
Donald Miralle/Getty Images for Rock 'n' Roll Marathon

The job market is hot. But who's hiring?

Mar 22, 2023
The sectors hit hardest during the pandemic, including hospitality and retail, are coming back.
Even if they're not the most well-paying gigs, people are still taking jobs in the restaurant industry.
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The job market cooled in January — that's what the Fed's been hoping for

Mar 8, 2023
There are fewer job openings and fewer people are quitting jobs — signs that the Federal Reserve's interest rate hikes are working as intended.
Job openings fell about 49% in construction, according to the recent JOLTS report. There were also fewer openings in accommodation and food services, and in finance and insurance.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Yellen: "Progress on inflation is not going to be a straight line"

The Treasury secretary says "people don't need to lose their jobs" to cool down the labor market.
"There's a great sense of community but an enormous amount of trauma that everyone in Ukraine is experiencing," Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen says. Above, Yellen at a school in Kyiv earlier this week.
Genya Savilov/AFP via Getty Images

Big layoffs grab our attention, but plenty of hiring is happening too

Feb 16, 2023
The hospitality industry, for example, is on a hiring binge.
Leisure and hospitality was the leading sector for jobs growth in January, and employment in those industries is still below what it was pre-pandemic.
Bryan R. Smith/AFP via Getty Images

What recession fears? Consumers shopped up a storm in January

Feb 15, 2023
We spent despite being whipsawed by economic news. Raises and slowing inflation helped.
Because of a surplus of inventory, consumers can continue to expect markdowns from retailers.
Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images

In a "restructuring" economy, which industries gained and lost jobs in 2022

Feb 8, 2023
Here are the industries that saw the biggest job gains and the ones still falling behind.
“It’s a large-scale restructuring, but the labor market goes through large-scale restructurings all the time," said Michael Montgomery of S&P Global Market Intelligence.
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With labor and supply still tight, a Detroit business owner finds an optimistic new normal

Feb 1, 2023
Supply chain hangups and labor shortages have frustrated small businesses. But for a custom frame shop in Detroit, optimism is high for 2023.
Eric Vaughn of Eric's I've Been Framed Shop has handled business smoothly, despite being down to just two employees.
Courtesy Vaughn

Layoffs are up, first-time jobless claims are down. What gives?

Jan 23, 2023
The job market is still tight, so many who've lost jobs rejoin the workforce fast. Others aren't eager to deal with the unemployment insurance system.
Layoffs have so far been concentrated in the tech sector, but the overall unemployment trend has remained near decade-lows.
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With salaries rising, how much do minimum wage increases matter?

Jan 4, 2023
Private-sector wages are up about 5% over the past year. But gains guaranteed by government can't be lost during an economic downturn.
Workers in low-wage sectors like fast food have gained higher pay in the hot job market.
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