Why Wages Are Rising While Hiring Slows in 2026

Unemployment dipped to 4.2% and jobless claims fell to 187,000 in mid-July, but job openings remain barely above 7.5 million. Meanwhile, average hourly earnings hit $37.60. Lucas and Luna explore what this divergence means for job seekers: are employers hoarding workers? Is wage growth sustainable? And how to negotiate when the market is tight but not expanding. They reference the latest JOLTS data, the employment cost index, and the surprising drop in initial claims to frame the picture. Plus, a look at which sectors are still hiring aggressively and which are cooling. If you're weighing a job change or a raise, this episode gives you the data to make a smarter call. #LaborMarket #WageGrowth #JobOpenings #UnemploymentRate #JOLTS #HiringTrends #Careers #JobSearch #Negotiation #EconomicData #BLS #EmploymentCostIndex #InitialJoblessClaims #AverageHourlyEarnings #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #JobMarket #2026 Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo