The economy's contradictory signals: more jobless claims, but more durable goods orders too

Nov 23, 2022
Rising orders for things like cars and dishwashers point to big improvements in global supply chains and few shortages, one economist says.
Orders for durable goods, which include trucks and cars, are up.
Jeff Kowalsky

How a pandemic layoff and career pivot made this Buffalonian "the happiest I've ever been"

Nov 1, 2022
A few months into the pandemic, Sam Heansel was laid off from her graphic design job. She's been working at a pet store for two years.
Sam Heansel during her shift at Elmwood Pet Supplies.
Brandon Watson

How the pandemic created an unexpected "baby bump"

Oct 19, 2022
The country's birth rate rose in 2021, thanks — at least in part to — schedule flexibility provided by remote work, a study author says.
"By the end of 2021, births for U.S. mothers were up by about 6%, relative to the pre-pandemic trend," UCLA professor Martha Bailey says.
Cindy Ord/Getty Images

Why job openings data might not mean what we think it means

Oct 17, 2022
JOLTS numbers can tell us about demand for workers. But the data doesn't say how hard employers are trying to hire somebody.
The Labor Department’s JOLTS report asks employers whether they’re “taking steps to fill a position.” But that can mean a lot of different things.
Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

States are being sued for trying to "claw back" pandemic unemployment benefits

Oct 14, 2022
Texas, for instance, sent out more than 1 million overpayment notices since the pandemic began.
Texas, Rhode Island, Michigan and Maryland have been hit with lawsuits based on their claims of overpaying recipients.
Olivier Douliery/AFP via Getty Images

Despite the shaky economy, jobless claims are down. Here's why.

Sep 29, 2022
It's taken companies so long to replace workers lost during the pandemic that many firms are reluctant to lay them off.
Economists and central bankers abound are watching today's jobs report to get a gauge on inflation.
Olivier Douliery/AFP via Getty Images

As Fed's "soft landing" gets harder, laid-off workers will have less of a safety net

Sep 23, 2022
Unemployment could rise along with interest rates and living costs, but fewer workers will have access to jobless benefits.
On average, unemployment benefits for laid-off workers are expected to be much less.
Olivier Douliery/AFP via Getty Images

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What the number of involuntary part-time workers tells us about the economy

Sep 7, 2022
The "I’d prefer a full-time gig, but I can’t find one” measure can give us a sense of how much slack or unmet potential there is in the labor market.
If involuntary part-time employment starts to tick up, that can be a leading indicator of a slowing economy.
Spencer Platt/Getty Images

How long can the job market stay this hot?

Some laid-off workers are surprised at how fast they were able to find new positions, says Sarah Chaney Cambon of The Wall Street Journal.
"The job market is still this bright spot really and it's overall outperforming kind of the rest of the economy," said Sarah Chaney Cambon, an economics reporter for The Wall Street Journal.
Mario Tama/Getty Images

Ahead of Fed's September meeting, some key data on unemployment and inflation

Aug 29, 2022
Fed Chair Jerome Powell has made it clear he will not waiver in the fight against inflation, even if it causes economic pain.
Karen Bleier/AFP via Getty Images