U.S. Economic News
October 6, 2020
U.S. Economic Indicators
The U.S. trade deficit increased from $63.4 billion (revised) in July to $67.1 billion in August. The goods deficit rose by $3.0 billion while the services surplus fell by $0.7 billion. Census Bureau Report
The Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (“JOLTS”) indicated that the number of job openings was little changed at 6.5 million in August. The number of hires was little changed at 5.9 million, while the quits rate was 2.0 percent. BLS Report
U.S. News
The Financial Times reports that the coronavirus pandemic has accelerated the shift among manufacturing companies to separate supply chains for Chinese markets and the rest of the world. Rising labor costs in China relative to other countries in Southeast Asia and Latin America started companies’ rethink of overdependence on China more than a decade ago, which has been reinforced by recent U.S.-China trade tensions and regional pandemic-related lockdowns. FT