This morning the BLS released its monthly Employment Situation Summary, the first jobs report of this academic year.  These reports are released on the first Friday of each month and they report U.S. labor market data for the previous month.  During this year, we will follow monitor at least three data series from these reports. …

Real GDP growth is finally ticking up toward the long run average again.  The BEA released it's first (Advance) GDP estimate for the third quarter.  The estimate of real GDP growth came in at 2.9%, which is the highest level in two full years but still below a long run (50-year) average of 3 percent. …

Last Friday, the BLS released their latest jobs report which includes estimates of the unemployment rate and labor force participation rate (LFPR) for September.  The unemployment rate ticked up slightly to 5.0 percent which is essentially where it has been for the past year.  Nonfarm payroll employment, the most closely watched aggregate jobs figure, rose…

The August jobs report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics is very similar to the past few reports: lowish unemployment (4.9%), positive jobs growth (+151K) and disappointing labor force participation (62.8%).  I put this in the category of good (but not great) job reports. The monthly unemployment rate since 2006 is plotted in the figure…