U.S. Economic News
January 9, 2018
U.S. Economic Indicators
The NFIB Small Business Optimism Index fell 2.6 points to 104.9 in December but remains near all-time highs, as five of the components dropped, two rose, and three remained unchanged. The share of small business owners who expect the economy to improve retreated 11 points. NFIB Report
U.S. News
The Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (“JOLTS”), a closely-watched measure of labor market health, indicated there were 5.9 million job openings at the end of November, little changed from October. Hires edged down to 5.5 million and the quits rate was unchanged at 2.2%. BLS Report
According to the Wall Street Journal, some Federal Reserve officials have considered whether they should reevaluate the 2% inflation target. These proposals come as policymakers seek to expand the tools they use to combat economic downturns, and some argue a looser inflation target would allow for greater monetary policy flexibility. WSJ
The Wall Street Journal reports that federal energy regulators have ruled against an administration proposal that would help shore up coal-fired and nuclear power plants. The regulators ruled unanimously that the proposal was not necessary to improve the resiliency of the American electrical grid and that it would unfairly limit competition in electrical markets. WSJ