Job openings fell in July in a promising sign for soft landing

Aug 29, 2023
Federal data also shows fewer people quit last month, bringing rates back in line with pre-pandemic levels.
Job openings decreased in July and were revised down for June.
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What comes after a soft landing?

Aug 16, 2023
There are only so many options. Ideally, they don't include a boom or a bust.
If the Federal Reserve tames inflation and avoids a recession, it will want to maintain the status quo — without a boom or a bust.
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Is the Fed actually going to pull off a "soft landing"?

Jun 14, 2023
If the Fed can tamp down inflation without sparking a recession, it would be only the second time in history in U.S. history.
Hold the applause for Federal Reserve Chair Jay Powell — there's more work to do before the economy can make a soft landing.
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What does the decline in corporate profits say about the economy?

May 25, 2023
Profits fell for the second quarter in a row, partly due to Fed rate hikes. Whether it’s a good thing depends on your role in the economy.
Profits are falling, but the stock market is "not freaked out," says Bruce Sacerdote of Dartmouth.
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Job openings fall in a possible sign of the elusive "soft landing"

Apr 4, 2023
Fewer job openings in normal times might be not great news, but right now, it is — cautiously speaking — a good sign. 
Workers moving into jobs in hotels and restaurants could be a sign that the economy is rebalancing.
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Will there be a recession, and if so, when? It depends on which economist you ask.

Feb 27, 2023
The latest outlook from the National Association for Business Economics offers mixed forecasts.
Unsure about the future of the economy? You're not alone.
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What the phrase "soft landing" says about how we view the economy

Sep 19, 2022
The metaphor for the Federal Reserve's inflation-fighting goal is losing favor. Hard landings are more common, unfortunately.
In the '70s, Treasury chief George Shultz used the term "soft landing" to describe how a mild economic cooldown could fight inflation. Now, Fed Chair Jay Powell is facing a rocky landscape.
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For public good, not for profit.

Central bankers' group sees a "narrow path" to rein in inflation and maintain growth

Jun 27, 2022
It's largely about preventing “inflationary psychology” from becoming entrenched, the Bank for International Settlements said.
The Bank for International Settlements warned that “inflationary psychology” could become entrenched and self-reinforcing. But the effort to douse inflation comes with risk of its own.
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Fed Chair Jerome Powell: "Whether we can execute a soft landing or not, it may actually depend on factors that we don't control."

May 12, 2022
"I think the one thing we really cannot do is to fail to restore price stability," Powell told Kai Ryssdal.
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, left, speaks with Marketplace host Kai Ryssdal in Washington, D.C., on Thursday.
Nancy Farghalli/Marketplace

Can the Fed lower inflation without getting the economy into a recession?

"A look at the record shows that the Fed often stumbles in its efforts to save the day," says Ben White, chief economic correspondent at Politico.
Recessions have followed many of the Federal Reserve's past interest rate hikes.
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