Jobs, prices, and the Fed, translated into what it means for your budget
We track the data releases that move markets and explain them the way we'd explain them to a neighbor, not a trading desk.
Monthly jobs data comes from two separate surveys, one of employers and one of households, and the two don't always move together.
The numbers behind the headlines
Economic coverage often gets reduced to a single number, the market went up, prices went down, but the story is usually more specific than the headline suggests. Our economy desk covers the labor market, inflation, Federal Reserve policy, and business news, and we try to connect each release back to something concrete: a grocery bill, a mortgage rate, a paycheck.
When a jobs report or inflation reading comes out, we compare it to the prior period and to what forecasters expected, and we link to the original release from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Bureau of Economic Analysis, or the Federal Reserve so readers can see the source data themselves.
Four beats, one desk
Jobs & Labor Market
Monthly employment reports, unemployment claims, and wage growth, with context on what a single month does and doesn't tell you.
Inflation & Prices
The Consumer Price Index and what's actually driving it, whether that's groceries, rent, gasoline, or something narrower.
The Federal Reserve
Interest rate decisions and what they mean for mortgages, credit cards, and savings accounts, explained without the jargon.
Markets & Business
Earnings season, corporate news, and how it connects to the broader economy rather than just a single stock price.
How we cover a data release
Read the primary release
We start with the actual report from the source agency, the BLS, the BEA, or the Fed's own statement, rather than a secondhand summary.
Compare to the prior period
A single month of data rarely tells the whole story, so we show how a new number fits into the recent trend, not just whether it beat expectations.
Bring in outside context
We reference perspectives from economists across the spectrum rather than a single analyst's take on what a number means.
Explain the household impact
The last step is always the same question: what does this actually change for someone paying rent, a mortgage, or a grocery bill?
Federal Reserve policy changes ripple through mortgage rates, credit cards, and savings accounts, often with a lag of several months.
A percentage point move and a percent move aren't the same thing, and mixing them up can make a data story sound bigger or smaller than it is.
Percentage points versus percent
If unemployment moves from 4% to 5%, that's a one percentage point increase, but it's also a 25% relative increase in the unemployment rate. Both statements are accurate, but they read very differently. We're specific about which one we mean in every economy story, and we explain the difference in our data literacy guide if you want the longer version.
Economy Coverage FAQ
Where does your economic data come from?
Primarily the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Bureau of Economic Analysis, the Census Bureau, and the Federal Reserve. We link to the original release in every data story.
Do you predict where the market is headed?
No. We report on what's happened and what economists across the spectrum are saying, but we don't publish price targets or trading recommendations.
How often do you cover the Federal Reserve?
We cover every scheduled policy meeting, along with major speeches from Fed officials when they signal a meaningful shift in direction.
Want the bigger picture?
Read how our politics and science desks apply the same sourcing standards to their own beats.