The Labor Market Is Getting Battered, but You Wouldn't Know Looking at the Data

That disconnect has me scratching my head.

Instead, the mostrecent labor datashows unemployment low and steady, clocking in at 4%.

Plus, job growth is still apparently moving at a healthy pace.

It’s not an exaggeration to saythe economy feels like it’s in freefall.

Meanwhile, some65,000federal workers have accepted an offer to resign in exchange for pay until Sept. 30.

First, the central bank wants to see inflation slow down before cutting interest rates again.

Second, the Fed is looking for signs of weakness in the labor market.

Odds werealready lowfor the Fed to cut interest rates at its next meeting in March.

“A strong labor market relies on expanding opportunities for jobseekers, not restricting them,” said Countryman-Quiroz.