Jobless claims are an easy way to g

Jobless claims are an easy way to gauge the strength of the job market. The fewer people filing for unemployment
benefits, the more have jobs, and that tells investors a great deal about the economy. Nearly every job comes with
an income that gives a household spending power. Spending greases the wheels of the economy and keeps it
growing, so a stronger job market generates a healthier economy.

There's a downside to it, though. Unemployment claims, and therefore the number of job seekers, can fall to such
a low level that businesses have a tough time finding new workers. They might have to pay overtime wages to
current staff, use higher wages to lure people from other jobs, and in general spend more on labor costs because
of a shortage of workers. This leads to wage inflation, which is bad news for the stock and bond markets. Federal
Reserve officials are always on the look-out for inflationary pressures.

By tracking the number of jobless claims, investors can gain a sense of how tight, or how loose, the job market is. If wage inflation looks threatening, it's a good bet that interest rates will rise, bond and stock prices will fall, and the only investors in a good mood will be the ones who tracked jobless claims and adjusted their portfolios to anticipate these events.

Just remember, the lower the number of unemployment claims, the stronger the job market, and vice versa.