June 9, 2021
The labor market is setting new—and concerning—records in the U.S. as Covid restrictions ease, life gets a little more normal, and “return-to-office” efforts begin in earnest; job openings have hit their highest level on record, layoffs hit a record low, and workers are quitting at a record pace. Prices are also climbing, spurred at least partially by the need to accommodate higher wages, though the pandemic-induced rent crash may prevent the climb from fully reflecting in CPI… for as long as it lasts. The equity markets meanwhile are revisiting a pattern from the ’90s and value stocks have continued their outperformance. And it’s been a busy week for Bitcoin after tumbling on the back of the Colonial Pipeline random seizure and then being adopted as legal tender for the first time in a landmark move by the El Salvadorian government—does such a mixed bag of headlines mean more yet volatility could be in store?