Why Investors Care
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.