In almost every government report we've had so far, the impact of Sandy has been far bigger than anybody would have imagined, says Morningstar's Bob Johnson.
Any deal to avert the fiscal cliff will modestly hit the economy, but legislators won't allow the worst-case scenario--and subsequent recession--to happen, says Northern Trust chief economist Carl Tannenbaum.
Investors can get a better read on the data by tuning out short-term quirks, understanding when indicators are most reliable, and properly sizing the economic magnitude of each report.
We examine the possibility for higher normalized joblessness, the concerns over long-term unemployment, changes in job-sector composition, and what can possibly catalyze job growth.