South By North Strategies, Ltd.

Fed Watch looks at recent economic indicators and finds that neither optimists nor pessimists are completely right.

In short, yes, given that the US economy has been growing now for three quarters, and is most likely to grow for the next three quarters, room for optimism is surely growing as well, something the pessimists need to accept, lest they fall into the trap of incoherent mumbling for the five years until the next recession provides them with an “I told you so” opportunity.
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Where the pessimists have room to complain, as I am wont to do, is on the employment issue.Even the most more optimistic forecast of former IMF Chief Economist Michael Mussa is not sufficient to drive rapid improvement in the labor market.Again, think of a real V-shaped recovery like the mid-80’s. Hence the widespread disappointment with the March labor report. On the surface, the numbers were not terrible. Subtract out, however, the private and Census temporary workers, adjust for the fact that this supposedly represented a “bounce” from the weather impacted February report, and then recognize that the US economy has been growing for three quarters.Then you start to think that this is a better report, but not good enough to alleviate the pain in the labor market anytime soon. But it is not bad enough that anyone is eager to commit to additional stimulus, almost guaranteeing a continuation of the status quo, a job market that will not recoup lost jobs for years, leaving perhaps an indelible mark on a generation of workers.