Why the Fed Is Watching Wage Growth Not Jobs episode artwork

EPISODE · Jun 7, 2026 · 6 MIN

Why the Fed Is Watching Wage Growth Not Jobs

from The Labor Market Podcast with Fexingo: Jobs Reports, Unemployment, and Wage Growth · host Fexingo

With the May jobs report due Friday and unemployment claims rising to 225,000, Lucas and Luna dig into why the Federal Reserve is paying more attention to the Employment Cost Index than to headline payroll numbers. They break down how wage growth in the ECI hit 177.5 in Q1 2026, up from 176.23, and why that matters more for interest rates than the 159 million jobs number. Plus, they connect the tight labor market to the recent ADP report showing 122,000 private payrolls added in May—stronger than expected—and what that means for the inflation fight. A focused look at the data point that could determine the next rate move. #LaborMarket #WageGrowth #EmploymentCostIndex #FederalReserve #ECI #JobsReport #Inflation #InterestRates #ADP #JOLTS #UnemploymentClaims #Payrolls #MayJobs #Economics #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #Podcast #LucasAndLuna Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo

With the May jobs report due Friday and unemployment claims rising to 225,000, Lucas and Luna dig into why the Federal Reserve is paying more attention to the Employment Cost Index than to headline payroll numbers. They break down how wage growth in the ECI hit 177.5 in Q1 2026, up from 176.23, and why that matters more for interest rates than the 159 million jobs number. Plus, they connect the tight labor market to the recent ADP report showing 122,000 private payrolls added in May—stronger than expected—and what that means for the inflation fight. A focused look at the data point that could determine the next rate move. #LaborMarket #WageGrowth #EmploymentCostIndex #FederalReserve #ECI #JobsReport #Inflation #InterestRates #ADP #JOLTS #UnemploymentClaims #Payrolls #MayJobs #Economics #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #Podcast #LucasAndLuna Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo

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Why the Fed Is Watching Wage Growth Not Jobs

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How long is this episode of The Labor Market Podcast with Fexingo: Jobs Reports, Unemployment, and Wage Growth?

This episode is 6 minutes long.

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This episode was published on June 7, 2026.

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With the May jobs report due Friday and unemployment claims rising to 225,000, Lucas and Luna dig into why the Federal Reserve is paying more attention to the Employment Cost Index than to headline payroll numbers. They break down how wage growth in...

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