A Strange Moment for the U.S. Economy

Why is the economic recovery from the pandemic so uneven? Why are companies finding it hard to hire? And why are the prices of used cars surging?

Recent economic reports have commentators scratching their heads. We dig into the theories behind this strange moment for the American economy.

Guest: Ben Casselman, an economics and business reporter for The New York Times.

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Background reading:

• April’s anemic job creation was so out of line with what other indicators have suggested that it will take some time to unravel the mystery • . • The weak jobs report could help the Federal Reserve justify its patient approach to its policies. Officials have said that they want to see real, not just forecast, progress toward full employment and stable inflation • .

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