Jing Fu

Jing Fu, Ph.D., is the senior director of forecasting and analysis at NAHB where she monitors developments in the economy to identify trends and issues related to the housing industry. She also assists in forecasting and analyzing the state and metropolitan area housing market, producing research and articles detailing sectors and the geography of the home building industry. Prior to joining NAHB, Dr. Fu worked at Thomson Reuters as a data specialist and has extensive knowledge and experience on quantitative research and large data set analysis. She holds a master's and doctorate in economics from the University of Kansas.

Solid Job Gains in April

Total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 428,000 in April, and the unemployment rate was unchanged at 3.6%. The April’s data indicate that the labor market remained healthy despite surging inflation, tighter financial conditions, and the war in Ukraine. Construction industry employment (both residential and non-residential) totaled 7.6 million and has returned to its February 2020…

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GDP Unexpectedly Decreases in the First Quarter

In the first quarter of 2022, real GDP declined for the first time since the pandemic recession, as inflation surged to a 40-year high and supply chain disruptions remain persistent. This quarter’s decrease reflected a deceleration in private inventory investment, decreases in exports and government spending and an increase in imports. According to the “advance”…

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Job Growth Continued in March

Total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 431,000 in March, and the unemployment rate fell to 3.6% from 3.8%. The labor market recovery is continuing, as employment in some sectors, such as professional and business services, financial activities, and retail sectors, is now above pre-pandemic levels. Construction industry employment (both residential and non-residential) totaled 7.6 million…

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Surprising Job Growth in February

Job growth accelerated in February with widespread gains across industries. Total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 678,000 in February, and the unemployment rate edged down to 3.8%. Construction industry employment (both residential and non-residential) totaled 7.6 million. Residential construction gained 31,000 jobs, while non-residential construction added 29,400 jobs for the month. Residential construction employment currently…

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Strong Job Gains in January

Despite the omicron surge, the U.S. job market experienced solid gains. Total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 467,000 in January, and the unemployment rate ticked up slightly to 4.0%. Additionally, job gains in December and November were much stronger than initially estimated, according to revisions of the establishment survey data. Construction industry employment (both residential…

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