Economics
Fed Gets New Path to Go Big as Job Openings, Confidence Surprise
- Two indicators top forecasts, pointing to strength in demand
- Strong data complicates Fed’s job to tamp down inflation
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US jobs openings and a consumer confidence gauge both topped forecasts, pointing to strength in household and labor demand that risks sustaining inflationary pressures and raises the prospects for a third straight 75 basis-point interest-rate hike by the Federal Reserve.
The Conference Board’s August index of sentiment rose to a three-month high, and the report also showed firmer buying plans for appliances and cars. Job vacancies, meanwhile, unexpectedly increased to 11.2 million in July, close to a record and underscoring persistent tightness in the labor market.