Daily Brief: 7.6 Million Job Openings, Zero Workforce Growth — America’s Labor Shortage Grinds On
7.6M job openings, +57K payrolls, and a baffling drop in young workers: America's labor shortage isn't going anywhere. Here's what the latest data...
Daily Brief: Consumer Sentiment Surges to 54.4 as Housing Starts Smash Expectations
Consumer sentiment hit 54.4 in July, its highest since February, while housing starts surged to 1.427M. But building permits slid and industrial...
Daily Brief: Jobless Claims Plunge to 208K as Soft Landing Narrative Gains Steam
Initial jobless claims fell to 208K, crushing the 216K forecast, while retail sales cooled to just 0.2% growth. Philly Fed manufacturing surged to 41.4.
Daily Brief: The Participation Puzzle — Workers Keep Quitting While the Labor Force Keeps Shrinking
June payrolls added just 57K jobs, yet quits hit 3.07M and participation fell to 61.5%. The structural labor shortage isn't going anywhere.
Daily Brief: Trade Deficit Widens to $105.8B as AI Imports Surge, Services Employment Rebounds
The U.S. goods trade deficit surged 27% to $105.8B on AI-related imports. ISM Services employment rebounds from contraction. Dow tops 53,000. Inflation...
Daily Brief: ISM Services Cools to 54.0% as Employment Finally Rebounds from Three-Month Slump
ISM Services PMI slipped to 54.0% in June, missing the 54.2% forecast. But employment jumped back into expansion and price pressures eased. Here's what...
Daily Brief: Markets Bounce After Five-Day Slide as Jobs Week Begins
Futures surge Monday after the S&P 500's five-day losing streak, its worst since August. Dallas Fed manufacturing data and the June jobs report anchor...
Daily Brief: GDP Hits 2.1% as the Durable Goods Head-Fake Hides a Business Investment Boom
Q1 GDP revised up to 2.1% while durable goods fell 4.5% — but core business investment surged 1.6%, smashing expectations. Claims also dropped to 215K.
Daily Brief: New Home Sales Crash 7.3% as the Two-Speed Economy Comes Into Focus
New home sales plunged to 580K in May (vs. 632K expected) while the S&P flash manufacturing PMI hit a four-year high. The two-speed economy, explained.
September 2025 – Social Security Enrollments
The social security office released the September 2025 social security snapshot and it continues to climb unabated. The current monthly cost of the current benefits is $130,971 billion ($1.56 trillion…