Labor Markets and Economic Policy by Ben Casselman
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 ...
Expenditure survey data gaps affect Consumer Price Index, Ben Casselman notes
Ben Casselman, industry influencer, reports that missing data from the expenditure survey could pose significant challenges for calculating the Consumer Price Index. This survey determines the ...
Ben Casselman: Regional Fed dissents send a message on interest rate cuts
Ben Casselman, industry influencer, highlights the significance of recent regional Federal Reserve presidents' dissents regarding potential interest rate cuts. Casselman suggests these dissents ...
Record profits persist for U.S. corporations amid disruptions, Ben Casselman notes
U.S. corporations have continued to earn record profits, despite economic and geopolitical challenges in recent years. Ben Casselman observes that factors such as tariffs, inflation, and war have ...
