Economic Signals and the Fed's Upcoming Decisions

Investors await this week’s Federal Reserve meeting, less for the decision (a cut is expected) and more for signals about the Fed’s worries for the future. The latest initial jobless claims data showed a weakening labor market, but some of those layoffs may be temporary unemployment (one automaker temporarily laid off workers because of a parts shortage, for instance). Temporary unemployment is more easily smoothed over by consumers.