(with Max Hoelzl, Joel Dresang, engineered by Blake Miller)

No major announcements

Employers’ appetite for new workers rose in September and then only slightly in October, according to a delayed job openings report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Openings reached nearly 7.7 million in October, down 36% from the peak of 12.1 million in March 2022, but still above pre-pandemic levels. The report combined new data from September and October and was one week later than usual because of the federal government’s 43-day shutdown. The rate and number of workers quitting their jobs – a sign of worker confidence – dipped to their lowest levels since the early months of the pandemic. They have been below pre-COVID levels since the end of 2023.

The policymaking body of the Federal Reserve Board voted to lower short-term interest rates again by a quarter point, as widely expected. Citing increased signs of a weakening labor market amid “somewhat elevated” inflation, the Federal Open Market Committee moved to slightly boost what it determined was moderate economic growth. Members of the committee were divided on the action. While nine voted to lower the fed funds rate by a quarter of a point, one member wanted to reduce it by a half point, and two others wanted to hold rates steady.

The U.S. trade gap narrowed 11% to $52.8 billion in September, the lowest deficit since mid-2020, amid the pandemic. The value of exports rose 3% from August, led by non-monetary gold and pharmaceuticals. Imports declined 0.6%, led by pharmaceuticals. The Bureau of Economic Analysis said the trade deficit, which detracts from measures of economic output, widened 17% through the first three quarters of the year, compared to the same period in 2024. In that time, exports grew 5% and imports rose nearly 8%.

The four-week moving average of initial unemployment claims rose for the first time in four weeks. Data from the Labor Department continued to suggest an overall reluctance by employers to let workers go. The moving average for jobless applications was 40% below its 58-year average. Just over 1.7 million Americans claimed unemployment benefits in the latest week, down 5% from the week before but almost 3% more than the same time last year.

No major announcements