Why Long-Term Unemployment Is Surging Under 4.3 Percent

The headline unemployment rate sits at 4.3 percent, but a hidden shift is underway: long-term unemployment — people out of work for 27 weeks or more — is climbing sharply. On Macro Tuesdays, Lucas and Luna dig into the latest labor market data to explain why this divergence matters more than the top-line jobs number. They break down the May JOLTS report showing job openings surging to 7.6 million, the disconnect between hiring and wage growth, and what the rising share of long-term jobless means for Fed policy and the broader economy. Using fresh data from the June 7, 2026 labor market snapshot, they explore whether the labor market is really as tight as it looks — and why the bond market might be pricing in a different story. Specific numbers, real policy implications, no filler. #LongTermUnemployment #LaborMarket #JOLTS #JobsReport #FedPolicy #UnemploymentRate #EconomicData #MacroTuesdays #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #Economics #LaborForce #WageGrowth #JobOpenings #MayJobs #HiddenUnemployment #StructuralUnemployment #LaborMarketDivergence Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo