Episodes

  • Why Job Seekers Are Giving Up in 2026

    Why Job Seekers Are Giving Up in 2026
    Jul 4 2026
    Episode 92 of Economic Indicators with Fexingo examines the labor force participation rate, which has fallen to its lowest level in 50 years outside of Covid. Lucas and Luna dig into the June 2026 jobs report: payrolls grew by just 57,000, and the participation rate dropped to 62.2%. They discuss why workers are leaving the job market—structural shifts like early retirement, caregiving, and discouraged workers—and what this means for Fed policy and wage growth. With core CPI at 3.4% and the unemployment rate at 4.2%, the hosts connect the dots between falling participation and the puzzling disconnect between inflation and labor market data. Specific numbers and historical context help listeners understand this often-overlooked metric and why it matters for the economy's next phase. #LaborForceParticipation #JobsReportJune2026 #FedPolicy #Inflation #WageGrowth #DiscouragedWorkers #StructuralUnemployment #EconomicIndicators #Payrolls #UnemploymentRate #CoreCPI #LaborMarket #RetirementWave #Caregiving #Economics #FederalReserve #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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    8 mins
  • What the Labor Force Participation Drop Really Means

    What the Labor Force Participation Drop Really Means
    Jul 3 2026
    Episode 91 of Economic Indicators with Fexingo: Lucas and Luna dig into the surprising drop in labor force participation—now at its lowest outside of the Covid era. They explore what's behind the decline: aging demographics, discouraged workers, and structural shifts in the job market. Using fresh data from the June 2026 jobs report, including the 57,000 payrolls gain and the 4.2% unemployment rate, they connect the dots to broader economic trends. Is the tight labor market masking a deeper problem? The hosts break down why participation matters more than the headline jobs number, and what it means for the Fed's policy path. A focused 10-minute conversation for anyone trying to read the macro signals. #LaborForceParticipation #JobsReport #EconomicIndicators #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #Economics #LucasAndLuna #DiscouragedWorkers #Demographics #FedPolicy #UnemploymentRate #Payrolls #LaborMarket #Inflation #WageGrowth #ParticipationRate #MacroData #USEconomy Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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    8 mins
  • The Labor Force Dropout Problem No One Is Talking About

    The Labor Force Dropout Problem No One Is Talking About
    Jul 3 2026
    The labor force participation rate just fell to its lowest level outside the Covid era, even as the unemployment rate dropped to 4.2 percent. Lucas and Luna dig into why millions of Americans have stopped looking for work entirely, what that means for GDP growth and wage pressure, and how the Fed reads a shrinking labor force differently than a rising jobless rate. They break down the participation rate by age group, compare it to pre-pandemic levels, and ask whether this structural shift is permanent or a statistical mirage caused by an aging population. A concrete look at the metric that matters more than the headline payroll number. #LaborForceParticipation #UnemploymentRate #JoblessClaims #FedPolicy #GDPGrowth #WagePressure #Demographics #BoomerRetirement #PrimeAgeWorkers #EconomicIndicators #MacroData #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #Economics #LaborMarket #StructuralShift #ParticipationRate #NonfarmPayrolls Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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    7 mins
  • The Hidden Risk of Falling Labor Force Participation

    The Hidden Risk of Falling Labor Force Participation
    Jul 2 2026
    Lucas and Luna dig into a startling new data point: the labor force participation rate has fallen to its lowest in 50 years outside of the COVID era. They explore what's driving workers to drop out—demographics, discouraged job seekers, and structural shifts—and why this matters more than the headline unemployment rate. With nonfarm payrolls adding just 57,000 jobs in June and the unemployment rate ticking down to 4.2 percent, the hosts ask whether the Fed is looking at the wrong number. They also connect the dots to the recent yield curve steepening and what falling participation means for long-run GDP growth. A focused look at a quiet trend that could redefine how we read the labor market. #LaborForceParticipation #Economy #JobsReport #Unemployment #Fed #GDP #YieldCurve #Demographics #DiscouragedWorkers #NonfarmPayrolls #LaborMarket #Inflation #EconomicIndicators #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #Economics #Podcast #LucasAndLuna Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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    8 mins
  • What the ADP Miss Tells Us About the Jobs Market in Mid-2026

    What the ADP Miss Tells Us About the Jobs Market in Mid-2026
    Jul 2 2026
    In this episode of Economic Indicators with Fexingo, Lucas and Luna dig into the latest ADP private payrolls number for June 2026 — 98,000 jobs added, well below the consensus estimate of 130,000. They explore what this miss signals about the broader labor market, especially against a backdrop of steady jobless claims around 215,000 and a 4.3% unemployment rate. The conversation touches on whether services hiring is finally cooling, why goods-producing sectors remain weak, and how the Federal Reserve might interpret these mixed signals. Lucas traces the data with a fountain pen on their research desk, drilling into the disconnect between payroll surveys and household surveys. A concise, data-driven check-in for anyone tracking the macro picture mid-2026. #ADP #PrivatePayrolls #JobsReport #LaborMarket #June2026 #EconomicIndicators #Fed #MonetaryPolicy #ServicesSector #GoodsProducingSectors #UnemploymentRate #JoblessClaims #Hiring #Economy #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #Economics #MacroData Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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    10 mins
  • What Private Payrolls Told Us About the Jobs Market in June 2026

    What Private Payrolls Told Us About the Jobs Market in June 2026
    Jul 1 2026
    In this episode of Economic Indicators with Fexingo, Lucas and Luna drill into the latest ADP private payrolls report for June 2026, which came in well below expectations at just 98,000 new jobs. They contrast this with the still-low initial jobless claims of 215,000 and a steady unemployment rate of 4.3 percent. The conversation explores whether the labor market is genuinely softening or just sending mixed signals—and what the divergence between hiring and layoffs means for the Fed's next move. No hot takes, just a clear-eyed look at the data. #ADP #PrivatePayrolls #JobsReport #LaborMarket #June2026 #Employment #JoblessClaims #UnemploymentRate #Fed #MonetaryPolicy #EconomicData #MixedSignals #HiringSlowdown #Layoffs #EconomicIndicators #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #Economics Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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    8 mins
  • Why Capacity Utilization Signals a Slowdown Before GDP Does

    Why Capacity Utilization Signals a Slowdown Before GDP Does
    Jul 1 2026
    Lucas and Luna dig into a frequently overlooked economic indicator: capacity utilization. With the latest reading at 76.2%, they explain why this number matters more now than the headline GDP growth of 2.1%. They trace how capacity utilization has historically turned before recessions, compare current levels to the pre-pandemic peak, and discuss what the gap between industrial production and capacity tells us about business investment. Along the way, they connect the dots to the yield curve steepening and the Fed's next move. A concrete guide to reading the macro tea leaves through an underappreciated lens. #CapacityUtilization #IndustrialProduction #GDP #FederalReserve #BusinessInvestment #RecessionSignals #YieldCurve #MacroData #EconomicIndicators #Manufacturing #CoreCPI #FedPolicy #Economics #Podcast #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #LucasAndLuna #EconomicOutlook Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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    7 mins
  • Why the Yield Curve Steepening Matters for Growth in 2026

    Why the Yield Curve Steepening Matters for Growth in 2026
    Jul 1 2026
    In this episode of Economic Indicators with Fexingo, Lucas and Luna unpack the recent steepening of the yield curve and what it signals for economic growth as of July 2026. With the 10-year Treasury yield at 4.42% and the 2-year at 4.19%, the spread has widened significantly. They explore why this is happening—stronger growth expectations, sticky core inflation at 3.4%, and the Fed's cautious stance—and what it means for investors and the broader economy. Using the latest data on real GDP growth (2.1% annualized), the rising 10-year breakeven inflation rate (2.24%), and the bond market's pricing of future Fed moves, they cut through the noise to give you a clear read on the macro picture. No jargon, just smart conversation. #YieldCurve #Steepening #BondMarket #TreasuryYields #EconomicGrowth #Inflation #CoreInflation #FedPolicy #GDP #BreakevenRate #RealGDP #MacroData #Investing #FexingoBusiness #Economics #BusinessPodcast #FinancialMarkets #EconomicIndicators Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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    7 mins