US initial jobless claims just slipped back below 200,000. On paper, that sounds like great news: fewer people are getting laid off. But if you’re job hunting right now — or struggling to fill a role — it probably doesn’t feel all that great. This data is one more sign we’re in a “low layoffs, low hiring” labor market. Translation: fewer people are losing jobs, but fewer people are landing new ones. The churn that normally keeps the job market moving is slowing down. What a “low layoffs, low...

On paper, the U.S. labor market looks strong: millions of open roles, unemployment still relatively low, constant chatter about a “talent shortage.” Yet if you talk to job seekers or hiring managers, the story sounds very different. Candidates are applying and hearing nothing. Employers are posting roles and seeing either crickets or applicants who don’t seem like a fit. Positions sit open for months. Everyone’s frustrated. If you’re feeling that disconnect, you’re not imagining it. There...

The August jobs report is one of those mixed messages the labor market keeps sending. On paper, it looks decent: the U.S. added 162,000 jobs, signaling steady hiring and a labor market that’s still creating opportunities. But when you dig into pay, the story changes. Wage growth is still trailing inflation. In real life, that means plenty of people are working, even switching jobs, yet feeling like their paycheck never quite catches up to the cost of living. What 162,000 New Jobs Really...