New unemployment claims have spiked – but don't panic

Jul 22, 2022
Analysts say the 50% increase in new claims since March doesn't mean the job market is contracting. Here's what it could mean.
People receive information as they attend a job fair for employment with SoFi Stadium and Los Angeles International Airport employers, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. Jobless claims have been on the rise.
PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images

Hot jobs market is showing some cool spots, staffing agencies say

Jul 7, 2022
There are still almost two jobs open for every person looking for work, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported this week.
In some industries, the job market is showing signs of cooling. In others, the market is still hot.
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Odds of a recession rising but vary widely

Jun 21, 2022
There is a very real chance that the country may end up paying a price for getting inflation under control. That price is recession.
Timothy A. Clary/AFP via Getty Images

Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson on inflation, gun control and why governments shouldn't punish businesses

"I don’t believe it’s the role of government to punish private businesses because we don’t like what they say or do," Hutchinson told Marketplace.
"I don’t believe it’s the role of government to punish private businesses because we don’t like what they say or do," Hutchinson told Marketplace.
Nicholas Kamm/AFP via Getty Images

Another week of historically low unemployment claims confirms the job market's on fire

Apr 21, 2022
Two years ago, more than 4 million people filed for benefits in a single week. This year, the number's around 180,000.
The data on recent filings for jobless benefits compares favorably with pre-pandemic levels, but nearly 2 million people were working before the pandemic who aren’t now.
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Workers have more leverage these days, but they're not less stressed

Apr 11, 2022
Nearly half of American workers are looking for a new job or plan to in the next year. One-third are ready to quit without a new job lined up.
One recent survey found that half of American workers think they’ll make more money just by switching jobs.
Stefani Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images

Is the "Great Resignation" actually normal for the labor market?

Apr 5, 2022
Bart Hobijn of the San Francisco Fed finds that during fast recoveries, workers often leave companies to join other companies.
Companies in industries like food and retail are rehiring after pandemic layoffs, attracting workers from other employers. That drives up the quits rate, says Bart Hobijn of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco.
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Stress persists 2 years into the pandemic economy

Mar 11, 2022
We talked with two people who were out of work in March 2020 about how the pandemic has affected their personal economies.
Life has changed: People continue to grapple with new economic conditions, including higher prices.
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U.S. added 678,000 jobs in February in a sign of economic health

Mar 4, 2022
The Labor Department’s report Friday also showed that the unemployment rate dropped from 4% to 3.8%.
The latest jobs data follows recent reports that have shown an economy maintaining strength as new COVID infections have plummeted since late January.
Tim Boyle via Getty Images

Is the virus still in control of the economy?

Feb 17, 2022
Recent numbers suggest this economy is increasingly shrugging its shoulders at the pandemic.
Consumers are reverting back to pre-pandemic habits, in terms of savings and spending. This could be a sign that the economy is learning to deal with COVID.
Spencer Platt/Getty Images