Labor Markets and Economic Policy by Ben Casselman
Ben Casselman: Uncertainty surrounds economic outlook ahead of JOLTS data
Ben Casselman stated that it is difficult to make any confident forecasts about the economic outlook until the release of upcoming data. The comment referenced JOLTS, suggesting that the results ...
Inflation-adjusted pay declined in September, Ben Casselman notes
Wages and salaries, adjusted for inflation, dropped 0.6 percent in September compared with a year earlier. Ben Casselman highlighted that discussions about a "divide" between sentiment and data ...
Ben Casselman: Understanding A.I.’s impact on economy remains challenging
Ben Casselman said it is difficult to reach firm conclusions about how artificial intelligence will affect the economy and workers, citing uncertainty about how the technology will evolve. ...
Inflation picked up in September with headline and core prices up, Ben Casselman notes
U.S. inflation accelerated in September, with both headline and core measures moving higher. Ben Casselman reported that prices increased 3.7 percent over the past year, while core prices rose ...
Ben Casselman: A.I. investment boom may fuel inflation and resist high interest rates
Ben Casselman highlights that the current boom in A.I. investment is contributing to inflation and appears largely unaffected by high interest rates. This situation, according to Casselman, ...
U.S. employers add 29,000 jobs while unemployment rate climbs to 4.2 percent, Ben Casselman notes
Ben Casselman reports that U.S. employers added 29,000 jobs in September as the unemployment rate increased to 4.2 percent. This data highlights ongoing changes in the U.S. labor market during ...
Ben Casselman: Supercore service prices rise 0.5 percent in latest data
Ben Casselman reports that so-called supercore prices, which cover services excluding energy and housing, increased by 0.5 percent month over month and 3 percent year-over-year. He adds that this ...
Professional services keep growing while job losses persist, Ben Casselman notes
Ben Casselman observes that job losses in information and financial services continued in August. However, he notes that professional services jobs have continued to grow, highlighting the lack of ...
Ben Casselman: Grocery prices show 2.7% annual rise, over 30 percent since 2020
Ben Casselman reports that grocery prices declined slightly from June. Over the past 12 months, 'food at home' prices have risen 2.7 percent, which is a slower pace than overall inflation but ...
Labor force participation up in July after June fall, Ben Casselman notes
Ben Casselman reports that labor force participation among prime-age workers in the U.S. (ages 25-54) increased in July. However, the uptick was not sufficient to offset the sharp decline ...
Ben Casselman: June JOLTS data show job openings down, hires up
Ben Casselman reports that the June JOLTS data indicate a slight decrease in job openings, with hires rising modestly and layoffs remaining largely unchanged. He notes that beneath these ...
Fed hawkish hold leaves future signals unclear, Ben Casselman notes
Ben Casselman discusses the possibility of a 'hawkish hold' at the Federal Reserve, highlighting ongoing conversations about this potential outcome. According to Casselman, the main issue is how ...
Ben Casselman: A.I. fuels stock market and investment risks
Ben Casselman raises the question of whether the stock market is now more closely tied to the economy than before, as artificial intelligence drives market moves, spending, and investment. He ...
U.S. consumer prices increased 4.2 percent in May, Ben Casselman notes
Ben Casselman reports that overall consumer prices in the U.S. were up 4.2 percent in May, representing the fastest year-over-year inflation since April 2023. He adds that core prices, which ...
Ben Casselman: Recent months show shift to positive trend in economic data revisions
Ben Casselman points out that the trend in economic data revisions has become positive in recent months, following a period of consistently negative revisions over the past several years. He ...
Gas and food prices climb sharply, Ben Casselman notes
Ben Casselman highlights that while the Federal Reserve may focus on various measures of underlying inflation, everyday consumers are primarily affected by the prices they pay on a daily basis. ...
Ben Casselman: Job gains remained strong in April for a second consecutive month
Ben Casselman, industry influencer, observes that job gains in April were solid for the second month in a row. He suggests it is too early to declare an end to the so-called low-hire, low-fire ...
