Tim McMahon, Editor of UnemploymentData.com

My grandfather lived through the Hyperinflation in Weimar, Germany--to say he was an original “gold bug” would be an understatement. I began reading his “hard money” newsletters at the age of 16 and the dividends from gold stocks helped put me through college. I began publishing the Financial Trend Forecaster paper newsletter in 1995 upon the death of James Moore editor of Your Window into the Future and the creator of the Moore Inflation Predictor©. FTF specializes in trends in the stock market, gold, inflation and bonds. In January of 2003, I began publishing InflationData.com to specialize in all forms of information about the nature of Inflation. In 2009, we added Elliott Wave University to help teach you the principles of Elliott Wave analysis. In January 2013, we began publishing OptioMoney. Connect with Tim on Google+.

New Unemployment Numbers- February

March 13, 2017 by Tim McMahon

On Friday March 10^th the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics released their Employment and Unemployment numbers for February 2017. The media was making a big deal about these numbers because they represent the “First full month since Trump took office”.

The numbers turned out to be moderately “Bullish” although the Commissioner’s statement said, “Total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 235,000 in February, and the unemployment rate was little changed at 4.7 percent. Employment gains occurred in construction, private educational services, manufacturing, health care, and mining.”

Now, I’m not complaining… gaining 235,000 jobs is certainly better than losing them but what’s the big deal? Well, first of all, the big deal is that [Read more…] about New Unemployment Numbers- February

Tradesmen Needed: Essential Services Make Good Job Prospects

February 9, 2017 by Tim McMahon

At one time or another, every part of your home will need repair or replacement. From the electrical wiring to the plumbing and heating and cooling systems, anything can break down or wear out. These essential parts of your home require a great deal of knowledge, skill and experience to repair. A novice could easily become injured or cause even more damage to the appliance or house. Consider these four essential services that you cannot live without as good job prospects.

Heating and Cooling

No matter where you live, your home needs a source of heat and some type of ventilation and cooling. Furnaces, boilers and heat pumps use a fuel such as natural gas, propane or electricity. These systems also have many mechanical parts. An experienced heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) technician works to ensure that this critical part of your home is operating safely and efficiently. So as long people need heated and air-conditioned homes HVAC Technicians will have jobs. The median annual wage for heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers was $45,110 in May 2015. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) “Employment of heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers is projected to grow 14 percent from 2014 to 2024, much faster than the average for all occupations. Candidates familiar with computers and electronics and those with good troubleshooting skills will have the best job opportunities as employers continue to have difficulty finding qualified technicians to install, maintain, and repair complex new systems.” [Read more…] about Tradesmen Needed: Essential Services Make Good Job Prospects

January Unemployment

February 3, 2017 by Tim McMahon

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released the newest unemployment data for January 2017 on Friday, February 3rd. According to the BLS, the current “Seasonally Adjusted” Unemployment Rate is 4.8% up from 4.7% in December and 4.6% in November but still below the 4.9% in October.

The current “Unadjusted” rate is 5.1% up from 4.5% in December and 4.4% in November. Typically unadjusted unemployment rates jump in January for “Seasonal” reasons which is why we see a large jump in the unadjusted rates but a much smaller jump in the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate. See Current Unemployment Rate for more info.

The number of Unadjusted jobs reported for January was [Read more…] about January Unemployment

Managing Your Money and Your Expectations For Retirement

February 1, 2017 by Tim McMahon

Any change can be stressful, even a “good change” but especially stressful are changes regarding financial stability and retiring from work is one of the biggest changes in life. Relying on investments and savings rather than a monthly salary can seem daunting at first, but a little planning goes a long way, especially if you do so sooner rather than later.

Planning Ahead

You can start planning for retirement at any age but obviously [Read more…] about Managing Your Money and Your Expectations For Retirement

5 Careers to Consider for 2017

January 25, 2017 by Tim McMahon

Whether you are looking for your first job or a new career in 2017, you should always consider the economy before beginning your search. For instance, today unemployment rates are low and many industries are still looking to hire. Several jobs require a college degree, but others do not. The more skill in a particular area you have the better your chances will be. If you are on the hunt, you’ll need to know your area and the industries that are hiring. You’ll also have to know yourself and what kind of job you might be suited for. Below are five great careers to consider for 2017.

Environmental Science and Protection Technicians

If you like science and engineering, a career in [Read more…] about 5 Careers to Consider for 2017

When is Moving for a Career Worth It?

January 11, 2017 by Tim McMahon

In the current job marketplace, more people are being forced to consider relocating in order to either find the job of their dreams or even just to find any job at all. With every passing year, the idea of remaining with the same employer for decades has become more the exception and much less the rule. While moving on to greener pastures can be alluring, knowing when to make the leap is important. To determine whether or not relocating is the right call to make, it pays to keep the following things in mind.

New Expenses

Consider the difference in the costs of living between [Read more…] about When is Moving for a Career Worth It?

Unemployment Inches Up

January 6, 2017 by Tim McMahon

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) announced on Friday January 6th, 2017 that the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for December was 4.7% up from 4.6% in November. The unadjusted U-3 came in at 4.5% up from 4.4% in November. Gallup on the other hand says the unadjusted U-3 is 5.1% up from 4.9% in November.

The U-6 unemployment rate, which includes discouraged workers, marginally attached workers and part-time workers who want to work full-time, was 9.1% in December up from 9.0% in November.
Gallup says their equivalent “Under Employment Rate” was 13.7% in December up from 13.0% in November.

For the 20 years from 1989 to 2009 the Labor Force Participation Rate (LFPR) held fairly steady at around 66%
of the workforce being employed.

But starting in 2010 [Read more…] about Unemployment Inches Up

Is the U.S. Really at “Full Employment”?

January 6, 2017 by Tim McMahon

Back in February of 2016 Fortune magazine published an article entitled “The U.S. Economy Is Finally at Full Employment” and then in May CNN-Money published an article entitled The U.S. is ‘basically at full employment’ quoting San Francisco Federal Reserve President John Williams as saying “We’re basically at full employment…that’s very good news.”

“We’re basically at full employment…that’s very good news.” San Francisco Federal Reserve President John Williams

So what is “Full-Employment” and are we really there? At first glance you might think that full employment should equal 0% and with the current unemployment rate hovering around 4.7% we obviously aren’t there. But Full employment, in macroeconomics, is defined by many economists as being an acceptable level of unemployment somewhere above 0%.

Even when employers are having difficulty finding employees some people are [Read more…] about Is the U.S. Really at “Full Employment”?

How to Increase Your Earning Potential

December 28, 2016 by Tim McMahon

We all seem to be too busy, you know how hard it is to find extra time in your schedule to plan any new projects. This is a common problem for people who want to increase their earning potential. You want to improve life for your family, but fitting in new activities seems impossible. Here are four ways you can increase your earning potential while taking care of your family and other responsibilities.

Earn a Certification

If you don’t have time to return to school full-time, you should consider getting certified for a skill or program that’s in demand. This is something you can do by taking a single course. Community colleges commonly offer certification courses. Some possibilities include computer programming languages, Microsoft Office Specialist or Notary Public. If you can’t see yourself taking even a single course, you can do [Read more…] about How to Increase Your Earning Potential

November Unemployment Rates- Economic Confidence Up After Election

December 3, 2016 by Tim McMahon

On Friday, December 2^nd the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released their Employment and Unemployment data for the month of November. According to the BLS numbers Seasonally Adjusted U-3 unemployment was 4.6% down from 4.9% in October. Unadjusted U-3 was 4.4% down from 4.7%. According to Gallup unadjusted U-3 was 4.9% down from 5.1%.

U-6 unemployment was 9.0% according to the BLS down from 9.2% in October while Gallup’s equivalent “Underemployment Rate” was at 13%.

Interestingly, Gallup’s “Economic Confidence” jumped into positive territory shortly after the election for the first time since early 2015 and for only the second time since the index was created in early 2009. The week prior to the election economic confidence was at -11 and currently it is at +4. According to Gallup, “This is the first positive weekly reading in more than a year and a half.” Read the full story.

In other political news, President-Elect Trump has already set the tone for his Presidency by convincing Carrier to not outsource 1000 of the planned 2000 jobs slated to go to Mexico.

Current Unemployment Rate Chart-

According to the BLS Commissioner’s report for this month: [Read more…] about November Unemployment Rates- Economic Confidence Up After Election