Economic security

We Just Got Another Sign of the Biggest Contradiction in the U.S. Economy

It's a confusing moment for the U.S. economy. This morning the U.S. Labor Department reported that jobless claims fell to a nine-week low. At 268,000, they were lower than even the most optimistic economist had forecasted. Other labor data has been strong as well, with job creation happening at its fastest pace in years. That being said, almost all other data (like retail sales and manufacturing surveys) have been weak. This chart of economic surprises by sector shows the contradiction nicely. Only the labor market data has been coming in above expectations.