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The Fed's Hidden Metric on Long-Term Unemployment
Description
Episode 31 of The Federal Reserve Podcast with Fexingo dives into a less-noticed but critical data point: the surge in long-term unemployment. With job openings at 7.6 million and private payrolls adding 122,000 in May, you might think the labor market is tight. But Lucas and Luna examine the rising share of workers unemployed for 27 weeks or more—a metric the Fed watches closely for signs of structural damage. They connect this to the Fed's rate stance, the sticky CPI reading of 332.4, and the 10-year breakeven inflation rate dropping to 2.38%. How does a growing pool of long-term unemployed influence the Fed's willingness to cut rates? And what does it mean for wage growth and economic scarring? This episode offers a focused look at one number that tells a deeper story about the recovery's uneven shape.