Jobs Report Looks GOOD But Is It REALLY

The headline says the economy added 178,000 jobs. But the details of this BLS jobs report tell a much more complicated story. The unemployment rate fell to 4.3%, yet nearly 400,000 people left the labor force. Meanwhile the broader U-6 unemployment rate actually increased. When you combine that with strike distortions and downward revisions to previous reports, the labor market may be a lot less stable than the headline suggests. Understanding the jobs report, unemployment rate, and labor force participation matters because these numbers influence Federal Reserve policy and mortgage rates. Russell McDonald | NMLS 290837 | Broker CA DRE 01150730 Wymac Capital Inc | NMLS 18766 | Broker CA DRE 01121628 Real Estate Broker - CA Dept of Real Estate