If the Senate follows the House of Representatives lead and passes the Immunization Infrastructure Modernization Act (HR 550), Americans who do not get the recommended number of covid vaccines can look forward to receiving a text like this: “This is Dr. Anthony Fauci."
Inflation numbers due to be released later Friday by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) are expected to show consumer prices rising at their fastest pace since 1982, with investors bracing for what could be a market-moving data drop.
U.S. unit labor costs rose sharply in the third quarter, while productivity declined at its fastest pace since 1960, adding to signs of persistently high inflation.
Though unemployment fell to its lowest level in nearly two years, the U.S. added back a worse-than-expected 210,000 jobs in November—indicating the labor market is still struggling to add back jobs lost during the pandemic amid the looming threat of a new coronavirus variant.
United States consumer confidence has plummeted to a decade-low in November. The University of Michigan’s consumer sentiment index fell to 66.8 in November, down sharply from the October figure of 71.7 and well below consensus forecasts of 72.4.
The chief economic adviser for financial services firm Allianz warned that the new coronavirus variant Omicron could shake up the markets, exacerbate supply chain woes, amplify record-high inflation pressures — and possibly result in 1970s-style “stagflation.”
