By Thomas Cooley, Ben Griffy and Peter Rupert
Employment from the establishment survey reported by the BLS increased 151,000, nearly all of which was in the private service sectors, increasing 150,000. The goods producing sector decreased 24,000, roughly offset by government employment, up 25,000.
Manufacturing employment has shown considerable weakness since 2015, while the service sector has continued to show strength. Education and health services along with leisure and hospitality posted the largest gains of the subsectors. Revisions were pretty much a wash: down 21,000 for June and up 20,000 for July.
Average weekly hours fell to 34.3 after six straight months at 34.4. Labor force participation and the employment population ration were essentially unchanged.
The household survey wasn’t encouraging either. Employment, according to the household survey, increased only 97,000 and the unemployment rate ticked up slightly from 4.88% to 4.92%. The number of unemployed persons increased as did those not in the labor force. The number of people working part-time for economic reasons increased for the second straight month, but the number of people marginally attached to the labor force trickled down.
The problem the markets now face is that this report only increases uncertainty. The FOMC has been suggesting of late they seem to be favoring a rate increase sooner rather than later. Over the past three months employment increases have average 232,000 jobs a month but the most recent numbers are softer. If this had been a stronger report a rate increase would have certainly been likely this year. It may still be but it is likely that the Fed will wait for more indications. The CPI for July was unchanged and for the previous year up only 0.8. If the economy keeps going sideways the Fed has a quandary: clearly they would like to get on more normal path, but the sluggish economy and global uncertainty have forced tepid policy responses until the storm quiets.
