Fewer job openings<\/p>\n
Alabama\u2019s Job openings were down in August, reports AL.com\u2019s Hannah Denham<\/a>.<\/p>\n The stats come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, and we\u2019re just now seeing the seasonally adjusted August numbers because of a delay caused by the federal government shutdown.<\/p>\n Those stats showed that there were around 105,000 job openings in Alabama in August. That was 5% fewer than there were in July and 13% fewer than August 2024. Actual hiring, at around 73,000 new hires, had been flat for a few months but was down almost 8% year-over-year.<\/p>\n Nationally, the number of job openings fell around 5% from the previous August. While that\u2019s a much smaller percentage than Alabama\u2019s 13%, it leaves the job-openings rates for the U.S. and state pretty close at 4.3% and 4.5%, respectively.<\/p>\n Economic analysts have blamed a few things for this year\u2019s slowdown in hiring. The tariffs and trade wars have left employers with some uncertainty over whether now is a good time to grow their payrolls. And the Fed\u2019s rate hikes in recent years to battle inflation have made it more expensive for business to expand.<\/p>\n The good news is that unemployment is still low in Alabama and the U.S. Which means fewer people are taking new jobs but most people are keeping their jobs, too as businesses wait to see where we go from here.<\/p>\n I mentioned the Fed, and we\u2019re all wondering how aggressive it becomes in lowering the federal funds rate going forward. President Trump has been vocal about his desire for rate cuts, something he also called for during his last term. Many are expecting another quarter-point cut this month.<\/p>\n One issue is that the shutdown has the Fed making the call without as much statistical data as it would otherwise have<\/a>. Another is that it could choose to be less cautious than the White House desires because unemployment is low and inflation is staying above the Fed\u2019s target rate.<\/p>\n A larger rate cut would loosen the money supply more, possibly sparking more growth but also possibly adding to the inflationary pressure.<\/p>\n Still No. 1<\/p>\n The Super 7 state high school football finals are underway in familiar fashion.<\/p>\n AL.com\u2019s Ben Thomas reports<\/a> that Thompson High School of Alabaster defeated Opelika 34-3 in Class 7A at Birmingham\u2019s Protective Stadium.<\/p>\n Thompson has won two state titles in a row and six of the past seven.<\/p>\n The Warriors finished the season 11-3. The only close game they played in the playoffs was their 35-34 semifinals win over Central-Phenix City.<\/p>\n Today, in order, will be the Class 3A, 1A and 5A title games. Then on Friday it\u2019ll be Classes 4A, 2A and 6A.<\/p>\n Monkey business<\/p>\n WKRG News 5 reports<\/a> that federal agents with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service found at least a dozen caged monkeys in a Tillman\u2019s Corner home in Mobile County.<\/p>\n I realize that raises a lot of questions in everybody\u2019s minds, but calls to authorities involved weren\u2019t returned right away and no arrests were announced on Wednesday.<\/p>\n Still, I wanted to share this because we get only one or two stories a year that involve monkeys, which, primatologists agree, are not native to Alabama.<\/p>\n A neighbor did tell WKRG that as a child she once played with monkeys from the residence. She said she did not know the owners personally, however.<\/p>\n Quoting<\/p>\n \u201cPaul Finebaum has been a fixture in living rooms, tailgates, and truck radios across Alabama for decades, and his decision not to run for the United States Senate means folks in Alabama and around the nation can keep enjoying his insightful conversations surrounding college football.\u201d<\/p>\n U.S. Rep. Barry Moore of Enterprise, who leads fellow Senate candidates in the early fundraising<\/a> and no longer has to face Finebaum in the primary. Click here for more on that race.<\/a><\/p>\n More Alabama News<\/p>\n The podcast<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Fewer job openings Alabama\u2019s Job openings were down in August, reports AL.com\u2019s Hannah Denham. 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