After the final jobs report for 2019 showed wage growth missed expectations, the Dow closed below 29,000 after reaching the milestone for the first time in intraday trading.
But Grover Norquist, conservative activist and president of the advocacy group Americans for Tax Reform, said the jobs report was “good on all counts”
“I particularly like the U6, which is the unemployment number that includes discouraged workers,” he told Cheddar. Discouraged workers are those individuals who stop looking for jobs and no longer count toward general unemployment numbers.
“Unemployment is at a historic 50-year low, but discouraged workers is also at an all-time low,” he said. The discouraged and underemployed workers rate fell to 6.7 percent. He noted that the number is the lowest since the government began being measured in 1994.
In today’s report, the Labor Department said nonfarm payrolls increased by only 145,000 versus the 160,000 that had been expected as the unemployment rate held steady at 3.5 percent.
Today’s report also marked a slow rise in average hourly earnings, which rose by 2.9 percent, below the 3.1 percent projection.
Of those employed, women held more U.S. jobs than men for the first time in a decade. The last time women overtook men in payrolls was between January 2009 and April 2010, according to the Wall Street Journal.
U.S. Nissan head Jérémie Papin joins from the New York International Auto Show to give a preview of what’s to come from the carmaker – including the 2025 Nissan Kicks.
Ed Mitzen, the CEO of Business for Good, explains how and why he’s giving back by funding businesses from marginalized entrepreneurs to push social change.
Dana D’Auria, co-CIO at Envestnet, breaks down how she’s expecting markets to perform as ‘cracks’ from the rate hike cycle slowly filter into the economy.
A large cargo ship lost power and issued a mayday call moments before it struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge early Tuesday, though it was still moving toward the span at a rapid speed.
Candace Mitchell Harris discusses her path from computer scientist to founder of beauty tech tool MYAVANA – and how it uses A.I. to analyze each person’s unique haircare needs.
Michael Harris, NYSE global head of capital markets shares what to expect from IPOs in 2024, including A.I. excitement and why interest rate cuts are always helpful.
Lacy Garcia, Founder & CEO of Willow, shares why women, traditionally underserved by fintech, are looking for trust and a personal relationship from their financial advisor.
Alexander Reed, CFA and CIO for Envisage Wealth, breaks down why he thinks rates could stay higher for longer and why real estate, utilities, and regional banks are sectors to avoid.
