The Daily

A Strange Moment for the U.S. Economy

May 18, 2021

Ben Casselman, an economics and business reporter for The New York Times, delves into the current perplexities of the U.S. economy. He discusses the uneven recovery from the pandemic, shedding light on the baffling job growth numbers and labor shortages. Casselman unpacks the surge in used car prices, linking it to wider inflation issues and the challenges faced by the Federal Reserve. He also examines how personal circumstances and various state policies impact employment trends, offering a comprehensive look at our economic landscape.

33:16

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Episode guests

Ben Casselman

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Episode notes

Intro

5min

Job Growth Discrepancies and Economic Recovery

12min

Navigating Employment and Economic Trends Post-Pandemic

6min

Navigating Inflation and Used Car Prices

11min

The Intersection of Journalism, Global Conflict, and Vaccination Efforts

3min

Why is the economic recovery from the pandemic so uneven? Why are companies finding it hard to hire? And why are the prices of used cars surging?

Recent economic reports have commentators scratching their heads. We dig into the theories behind this strange moment for the American economy.

Guest: Ben Casselman, an economics and business reporter for The New York Times.

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Background reading:

April’s anemic job creation was so out of line with what other indicators have suggested that it will take some time to unravel the mystery.
The weak jobs report could help the Federal Reserve justify its patient approach to its policies. Officials have said that they want to see real, not just forecast, progress toward full employment and stable inflation.

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