In Mammon Among Friends, Malcolm C. Harris, Sr. provides commentary and news about the national economy, the Wichita economy, the world of finance, and utility & postal economics. Experiences such as a utility commission staff manager, forecasting postal volumes and revenues, consulting on utility regulation, and teaching corporate finance have shaped his analysis.
Saturday, February 06, 2016
This Morning's Employment Report
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today that unemployment fell to 4.9 percent and wages rose. "In January, average hourly earnings for all employees on private nonfarm payrolls increased by 12 cents to $25.39. Over the year, average hourly earnings have risen by 2.5 percent." Jobs rose 151,000 according to the payroll survey and 496,000 according to the household survey. The unemployment drop was dispute a jump in the labor force of 433,000, admittedly amplified by new higher population estimates.