With 201,000 net new jobs, August 2018 rebounded after a slower July 2018, aided by growth in a variety of sectors, most notably a resurgence in transportation, warehousing and wholesale trade.
2. August 2018 U.S. labor market at a glance
2
+201,000
(94 consecutive months of growth)
1-month net change
+2,330,000
(+1.6% y-o-y)
12-month change
+1,012,000
10-year average annual growth
3.9%
Unemployment rate
6,662,000
(+8.8% y-o-y)
Job openings
-50bp
12-month change in unemployment
62.7%
Labor force participation rate
5,651,000
(+3.7% y-o-y)
Hires
3,402,000
(+7.5% y-o-y)
Quits
Source: JLL Research, Bureau of Labor Statistics
3. August job growth once again passed the 200,000 mark
With 201,000 net new jobs, August rebounded after a slower July, aided by growth in a variety of sectors, most notably a resurgence in transportation,
warehousing and wholesale trade. Without an acceleration in the expansion of the labor force, however, unemployment is still at a cyclical low of 3.9 percent,
leaving corporates with minimal slack for expansion and recruitment. As a result, job openings have surged by 8.8 percent over the year to a record high of
nearly 6.7 million.
Wage growth edged up, but inflation is still negating gains
Wage growth rose by 20 basis points to 2.9 percent in August, above the 2.7-percent rate that it was stuck at for much of 2018 even as talent shortages have hit
nearly every market. At the same time, rising inflation (also at 2.9 percent and trending upwards) is negating real income gains, while rising prices for goods
and services are likely to place pressure on consumer spending and, in turn, GDP growth. Notably, financial activities saw wage growth slow to 0.8 percent,
although this is likely an aberration.
Outlook for the Fed is highly positive even as headwinds remain
The Federal Reserve is highly likely to continue on its track of incremental tightening given an overall positive picture of the strength and resilience of the labor
market. External confidence metrics – both business and consumer – are at or near record-highs as well. Wage growth remains below expectations, and it will
have to be seen if the 20-basis-point increase in August is the start of a longer, upward trend.
August 2018 U.S. labor market highlights
3Source: JLL Research, Bureau of Labor Statistics
7. 2.9%
3.4%
3.5%
3.7%
4.1%
4.1%
4.3%
4.4%
5.1%
5.2%
0% 1% 2% 3% 4% 5% 6%
Other services
Education and health
Construction
Manufacturing
Information
Mining and logging
Financial activities
Trade, transportation and utilities
Professional and business services
Leisure and hospitality
Job openings rate (%)
PBS’ job openings bounced remains above 5%,
weighing on headcount and footprint growth
7Source: JLL Research, Bureau of Labor Statistics
10. -3%
-2%
-1%
0%
1%
2%
3%
4%
5%
6%
2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
12-month%change
Wage growth Inflation
After months of stability, wage growth finally rose an
additional 20bp to 2.9% in August
10Source: JLL Research, Bureau of Labor Statistics
11. 0.8%
2.0%
2.6%
2.6%
2.7%
2.9%
3.1%
3.3%
3.6%
3.8%
0% 1% 2% 3% 4%
Financial activities
Other services
Mining and logging
Manufacturing
Education and health
Professional and business services
Trade, transportation and utilities
Construction
Leisure and hospitality
Information
12-month wage growth (%)
Wage growth for financial activities, typically among
the highest sectors, paused in August
11Source: JLL Research, Bureau of Labor Statistics
+2.5%
Office-using
wage growth
+2.8%
Non-office-using
wage growth
12. -8%
-6%
-4%
-2%
0%
2%
4%
6%
8%
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
ChangesinceJanuary2007(%)
Civilian labor force Employed
Both the labor force and total number of employed
Americans dipped in August, but gap is widening
12Source: JLL Research, Bureau of Labor Statistics
Employment growth
above
labor force growth
Employment growth
below
labor force growth
13. 62%
63%
64%
65%
66%
67%
2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
Laborforceparticipationrate(%)Labor force participation remains unstable, falling back
to 62.7% in August
13Source: JLL Research, Bureau of Labor Statistics
14. -6.0
-5.9
-3.0
-3.0
0.3
6.0
11.0
13.0
13.0
20.2
22.4
23.0
53.0
53.0
-10 0 10 20 30 40 50 60
Information
Retail trade
Government
Manufacturing
Utilities
Mining and logging
Financial activities
Other services
Leisure and hospitality
Transportation and warehousing
Wholesale trade
Construction
Education and health
Professional and business services
1-month net change (thousands)
Wholesale trade and transportation bounced back in
August, contributing 42,600 jobs
14Source: JLL Research, Bureau of Labor Statistics
15. -30.0
-3.3
1.0
41.0
56.0
62.0
90.0
98.9
111.0
172.7
253.0
254.0
449.0
519.0
-100 0 100 200 300 400 500 600
Information
Utilities
Government
Construction
Mining and logging
Retail trade
Other services
Wholesale trade
Financial activities
Transportation and warehousing
Leisure and hospitality
Manufacturing
Education and health
Professional and business services
12-month net change (thousands)
Compared to previous months, annual growth was
more evenly distributed in August
15Source: JLL Research, Bureau of Labor Statistics
519.0
449.0
172.7254.0
111.0
62.0
762.3
PBS Education and health
Leisure and hospitality Manufacturing
Financial activities Retail trade
All other jobs
Core subsectors added 67.3 percent of all
jobs over the past 12 months.
16. -3%
-2%
-1%
0%
1%
2%
3%
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
12-monthnetchangeRetail trade’s growth remains below-average, but has
continually been in positive territory in 2018
Source: JLL Research, Bureau of Labor Statistics 16
17. -300
-250
-200
-150
-100
-50
0
50
100
150
200
2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
1-monthnetchange(thousands)
Professional and business services Financial activities Information
A rebound in PBS countered against continued
contraction in information
17Source: JLL Research, Bureau of Labor Statistics
18. -10%
-8%
-6%
-4%
-2%
0%
2%
4%
6%
8%
10%
2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
12-month%change
Tech Energy, mining and utilities Office-using Total non-farm
Across sectors, annual growth levels are unchanged
apart from energy, which is continuing its rebound
18Source: JLL Research, Bureau of Labor Statistics