Demographics & Society
Labor, immigration, fertility, aging, housing, healthcare, education, household formation, and the social math behind policy.
42 articles
Luxury Sales Cool
Recent credit-card data indicates a notable slowdown in U.S. luxury spending, especially among younger consumers who are feeling the impact of inflation.
02 Aug 2023
America's Labour Shortage And Its Impact
In the wake of a pandemic that shook the global economy, the United States faces a paradoxical situation where job openings abound, but there aren't enough workers to fill them.
27 Jul 2023
Travel Is Still Up Despite Recession Fears
Persistent inflation and higher interest rates have put a strain on many households, causing consumers to be cautious about certain expenses like home improvement projects and apparel.
15 Jun 2023
Inflation, Rate Hikes & The Labour Market
The Labor Department reported a substantial drop in weekly jobless claims in May, which reversed earlier surges and brought them down from the highest level since October 30, 2021.
08 Jun 2023
Demographics Responsible for U.S. Labor Force Shortfall
New research suggests that demographic and other trends existing prior to the COVID-19 pandemic are responsible for most of the remaining shortfall in U.S. labor force participation.
03 Apr 2023
U.S. Retail Sales Smash Estimates
Retail sales increased more than expected in January, despite rising inflation. According to the Commerce Department, sales for the month rose by 3%, exceeding the expected rise of 1.9%.
20 Feb 2023
U.S. Home Sales Fell 7.7%
As a result of high mortgage rates and home prices, which drove many potential buyers out of the market, existing-home sales in the United States fell for a record 10th consecutive month in November.
04 Jan 2023
U.S. Wages Growth Could Feed Inflation Further
In November, the U.S. economy created 263,000 new jobs, and the unemployment rate stayed at 3.7%, indicating ongoing resilience in the labor market.
09 Dec 2022
Shoppers Are Back
Although Americans spent more time and money shopping on Black Friday than they did the year before, certain figures indicate that they were also cautious with their spending as inflation put a strain on their wallets.
01 Dec 2022
The Tight Labor Market Is Giving The Fed A Headache
Last Friday, the September job report release saw an unexpected drop in the unemployment rate and an increase in worker salaries. The news sent a clear signal to markets that the Fed would have to pursue more massive interest rate hikes to slow inflation down.
13 Oct 2022
Tech Is Freezing Hiring
For years, the tech sector has been rapidly expanding its workforce, but the cheap money that supported years of high-flying startups is now running out.
10 Oct 2022
The Rising Social Costs
Chris Kempczinski, the CEO of McDonald's, stated that the fast food chain is struggling with violent crime, homelessness, and drug overdoses in its Chicago outlets and urged business and elected leaders to find solutions.
27 Sept 2022
Home Sellers Are Getting Scarce
As the housing market cools, more homeowners are delaying their sales, causing the biggest drop in active property listings in more than two years. Due in part to a slowdown in homebuyer demand brought on by higher mortgage rates, homeowners are choosing to stay put.
23 Sept 2022
Europe's Lose-Lose Situation
On the political side, some European countries are turning themselves into the poster child of what happens when growth is low for several years, debt rises and social policies take a more important place on the agenda than economic progress
19 Jul 2022
Chinese Consumers Caucious, More Enclined To Save
According to a poll by the People's Bank of China, the inclination of Chinese consumers to save money is at its greatest level in twenty years.
13 Jul 2022
Amazon, Apple And Starbucks Employees Unionize
Despite the fact that union membership in the United States has been declining in recent years, workers at a number of corporations, including Amazon, Starbucks and Verizon, have recently chosen to unionise
26 Apr 2022
Labour Market Heals
According to Labor Department figures released Tuesday, job postings totaled roughly 11 million in December all while the Great Resignation slowed.
02 Feb 2022
Texas, Arizona, Utah And Idaho Recovered All Jobs Lost
The states benefited from demographic changes before and throughout the pandemic, with large payroll increases in the retail, warehousing, technology, and transportation industries.
21 Jan 2022
Buying (At) Discount Stores?
Spending at discount stores increased by 65% in the week ending November 7 compared to the same period last year, according credit and debit card transaction data from Facteus which was first reported by Bloomberg.
26 Nov 2021
U.S. Consumer Confidence Rises
Consumer confidence in the United States unexpectedly increased in October, indicating that economic development was picking up after a tumultuous third quarter, as concerns about high inflation were countered by strengthening labor market prospects.
27 Oct 2021