Wage growth, by various measures, has softened in recent months, but inflation has fallen by even more.
Workers are better off as a result: Pay, adjusted for inflation, rose in the second quarter for the first time in two years.
The slowdown in wage growth has surprised some economists because the unemployment rate remains very low, which ordinarily would put pressure on companies to raise pay to attract and retain workers.
But other evidence suggests that the labor market has softened even without a big increase in joblessness.
Employers are posting fewer job openings, are adding fewer new jobs and are poaching fewer employees from competitors, all signs that demand for workers has slowed.
Persons:
”, Beth Ann Bovino, Michael Gapen
Organizations:
Workers, “, U.S . Bank, Fed, Bank of America
Locations:
joblessness