US Employment Indicator Dips, Predicting a Decline in Jobs

Although the jobs market is ‘healthy overall,’ there is a risk of slowdown in hiring, an economist says.

People line up as they wait for the JobNewsUSA.com South Florida Job Fair to open at the Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Fla., on June 26, 2024. Joe Raedle/Getty Images

A leading indicator forecasting employment changes fell in February, signaling upcoming job losses in the near term, according to think tank The Conference Board.

The Conference Board’s Employment Trends Index (ETI), which forecasts potential shifts in the job market, declined to 108.56 in February from 109.45 in January, the group said in a March 10 statement. A decline in the index suggests employment is likely to fall. “The ETI fell in February to its lowest level since October,” said Mitchell Barnes, economist at The Conference Board.