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The One Number The Market Is Focused On: Real Hourly Wages Surge Most Since Lehman Deflationary Shock

Tyler Durden's picture




 

In today's deluge of macro data, one number stood out: the parallel release by the BLS of the real average hourly earnings, which is simply taking the previously reported nominal hourly wage data, and applying whatever deflator gets released in parallel by the BLS. And, not surprisingly, after the nominal jump in January wages, a number which may very well be revised lower as has been the case so often before, courtesy of the headline deflation, the real jump in hourly wages was even higher. In fact, rising to an inflation adjusted $10.55/hour from $10.42 in December, it meant real wages rose by 1.2%, which was the best jump in hourly wages since... the months following the Lehman collapse. Because everyone remembers how the deflationary vortex in the aftermath of the Lehman bankruptcy led to a sense of wealth and eagerness to spend deflation adjusted wages.

In any event, if indeed Yellen was on the fence with a June rate hike ahead of the wage number, then following today's deflationary data and nominal increase in wages, the case for a rate hike is that much stronger.

 

On a monthly and annual basis:

 

And the reaction...

 

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Thu, 02/26/2015 - 10:11 | 5830956 LawsofPhysics
LawsofPhysics's picture

Interesting.  Odd that the velocity of that money hasn't picked up at all...

tick tock...

Thu, 02/26/2015 - 10:17 | 5830982 thetruthhurts
thetruthhurts's picture

Probably because  people are using the the cash to pay down debt and is getting sucked right back in to the banks

Thu, 02/26/2015 - 10:19 | 5830992 Arnold
Arnold's picture

Lay off the bottom quartile, the curve shifts, better numbers of your choice.

Thu, 02/26/2015 - 10:40 | 5831078 TruthInSunshine
TruthInSunshine's picture

EU is trying to debase currency rapidly in order to try & hold it together.

Euro just took out 112 vs USD! We're headed to parity on EUR vs USD way sooner than I expected!

It's unbelievable. The EUR was worth 1.58 USD not THAT long ago!

Thu, 02/26/2015 - 10:42 | 5831086 ParkAveFlasher
ParkAveFlasher's picture

What a crock of shit.  These are day pay increases to the wide bottom end, big employers paying part timers.  What a clown party this country is.

Thu, 02/26/2015 - 10:52 | 5831126 Dr. Richard Head
Dr. Richard Head's picture

Our company had to raise the starting wage, to attrack actual talent, by 25% over the past 3 years.  We have doubled our business in the past 5 years and have a good profit margin. We are and must be a rarity. 

Thu, 02/26/2015 - 10:55 | 5831139 LawsofPhysics
LawsofPhysics's picture

Do you actually manufacture something real or simply push paper?

Thu, 02/26/2015 - 11:01 | 5831170 clade7
clade7's picture

Maybe he works for a Boston snow removal company? 

Thu, 02/26/2015 - 11:15 | 5831221 ParkAveFlasher
ParkAveFlasher's picture

Plot out the weighting of payroll impacts at all salary levels, the hold a mirror on the y axis perpendicular to the page,  I imagine you would see a champagne glass, thin in the middle, fat up top, and broad down low.

Thu, 02/26/2015 - 12:48 | 5831649 Oracle 911
Oracle 911's picture

Lets talk about the strong rational and effective markets. LOL

Thu, 02/26/2015 - 13:44 | 5831928 MisterMousePotato
MisterMousePotato's picture

As long as government employees' salaries are included in this data, this is a useless metric. It might instead portend doom in the same way that including obamacare premiums in consumer spending does.

Thu, 02/26/2015 - 13:46 | 5831941 Vampyroteuthis ...
Vampyroteuthis infernalis's picture

Simple answer to this problem. The bottom half of workers were laid off leaving the higher ups with big paychecks. Yes, your average wage increased. 

Thu, 02/26/2015 - 11:15 | 5831218 Dr. Richard Head
Dr. Richard Head's picture

We manually masturbate caged animals for artificial insemination...

Actually, we provide HR consulting services - recruiting, screening, interviewing, payroll, applicant tracking, etc. 

Thu, 02/26/2015 - 11:28 | 5831283 ParkAveFlasher
ParkAveFlasher's picture

Dr., I love you and your success, and hope you continue with it, but you do actually masturbate caged animals for artifical insemination.

Thu, 02/26/2015 - 11:47 | 5831359 Dr. Richard Head
Dr. Richard Head's picture

I do that for fun.  The HR consulting of the last 20 years is our primary focus. 

Thu, 02/26/2015 - 12:26 | 5831542 giovanni_f
giovanni_f's picture

Dr. Richard Head, I am also a consultant, and I do real, value-adding stuff - and I am doing also well.  Allow me one question: Your company is not one of those entirely unproductive service sector shenanigans, which contribute nothing to mankind and are ultimately just a sign of decay?

Thu, 02/26/2015 - 12:30 | 5831562 Dr. Richard Head
Dr. Richard Head's picture

That is a hard one to answer.  We do contribute to the success of companies that produce and manufacture things by making sure that company knows the history and integrity of the people they hire, but much of our success is past of the increasing Federal and State government regulations on companies.  I would rather not see the government deciding what to sort of people a company can or cannot hire.  It's an internal conflict I hold each and every morning.  

Thu, 02/26/2015 - 12:45 | 5831629 giovanni_f
giovanni_f's picture

I understand. Thx. Have a nice day.

Thu, 02/26/2015 - 10:43 | 5831093 Ghordius
Ghordius's picture

yes... and no. yes, it is a currency war. no, have a look at CB balance sheet levels

Thu, 02/26/2015 - 10:48 | 5831108 TruthInSunshine
TruthInSunshine's picture

It's no currency war if the U.S. is going to let EU devalue € vs USD, is it?

Will you admit that I'm correct if € tags 1.08 USD?

1 USD?

When?

Thu, 02/26/2015 - 10:54 | 5831134 LawsofPhysics
LawsofPhysics's picture

Ghordius is a statist fuck.  Good luck getting a response that isn't consistent with the "script" as it were, but yes, you are correct. 

Thu, 02/26/2015 - 11:01 | 5831164 TruthInSunshine
TruthInSunshine's picture

It tripped 1.1280-70, just to be perfectly accurate.

http://headlines.ransquawk.com/headlines/eur-usd-breaks-through-technica...

I honestly wasn't expecting anything close to parity until late 2015 or early 2016, to be honest.

So few are hammering how significant this rapid move is and the massive implications that flow from it are.

Thu, 02/26/2015 - 11:01 | 5831166 Ghordius
Ghordius's picture

"It's no currency war if the U.S. is going to let EU devalue € vs USD, is it? "

I'm not sure I understand. In the other thread, I gave a longer answer. Yes and No is Yes and No

my longer answer involved how much firepower is spent in order to have this currency war going on, in terms of balance sheet

where my answer is that the USD moves more then anything else. and the tag price... I sincerely don't know. It will depend on the FED's rate increases, eventually

Thu, 02/26/2015 - 11:04 | 5831179 TruthInSunshine
TruthInSunshine's picture

It's really a simple question.

Are you claiming that the U.S., knowing how desperate the EU is to debase the € relative to not only the USD, but other major currencies, in order to try & keep the EU together for a longer period of time, could NOT fight this relative debasement to the USD, if it chose to do so?

Thu, 02/26/2015 - 10:23 | 5831022 surf0766
surf0766's picture

That is exactly what I am doing.... mainly because I will be jobless after March 31 because of Obamacare.

Thu, 02/26/2015 - 11:00 | 5831161 HardAssets
HardAssets's picture

A 19 year old I know recently got a part time job working in a small bakery.
She hopes to be put on full time in a few months.
I didn't have the heart to point out the realities.

Though, you'd think she would've gotten a clue from her 3 years older brother. He's needed as many as 3 jobs to approach a 40 hour work week. Now he's going to college and only has 2 part time jobs.

Welcome to the new neo feudal Amerika.
Just wait till millions more formerly illegals are let in.
Land of Opportunity.

Thu, 02/26/2015 - 10:58 | 5831152 TrustbutVerify
TrustbutVerify's picture

Paying off debt?  Maybe Americans do have brains and are finally deciding to use them. Now maybe they will start buying manufactured goods that Amercians make. 

 

"Bring U-6 down." 

Thu, 02/26/2015 - 11:58 | 5831419 glenlloyd
glenlloyd's picture

That's easier said than done and often a convenient excuse for why there's no manufacturing done here anymore.

Two problems with buying goods made in America. 1. Not that many things are made in America anymore and 2. Sometimes the quality of the item isn't as good as something that's from say Germany.

Further, I will not buy a car from an American maker who had to get in bed with .gov to help steer the bankruptcy in such a way as to cheat bond holders whose savings was invested in those bonds and whose principal was decimated.

Thu, 02/26/2015 - 10:54 | 5831136 froze25
froze25's picture

That is one scary trend Headbanger.

Thu, 02/26/2015 - 10:20 | 5831007 SteveNYC
SteveNYC's picture

They've surged by $0.15/hour - therefore, my 40hr week now nets me an extra $6! Or, $4.50 after tax!

Thu, 02/26/2015 - 10:34 | 5831061 tarsubil
tarsubil's picture

You could go to the movie theatre and buy a box with 5 milk duds inside.

Thu, 02/26/2015 - 10:55 | 5831137 froze25
froze25's picture

But you get such a nice big box.

Thu, 02/26/2015 - 10:23 | 5831023 sTls7
sTls7's picture

Good point.

Thu, 02/26/2015 - 10:38 | 5831073 JRobby
JRobby's picture

Bingo!

But wages are skyrocketing...............

Thu, 02/26/2015 - 10:45 | 5831097 HardAssets
HardAssets's picture

Of course, it all depends on the deflator factor that you use, doesn't it?

Thu, 02/26/2015 - 12:48 | 5831648 realWhiteNight123129
realWhiteNight123129's picture

People are deleveraging with whatever extra-money they have.

Thu, 02/26/2015 - 10:14 | 5830972 GMadScientist
GMadScientist's picture

$16.80 a month, gee thanks, Boss!

Thu, 02/26/2015 - 10:17 | 5830983 Philo Beddoe
Philo Beddoe's picture

Don't spend it all in one place. Set aside a dollar for a rainy day. 

Thu, 02/26/2015 - 10:51 | 5831124 SheepDog-One
SheepDog-One's picture

Not even enough for a Papa Johns pizza!

Thu, 02/26/2015 - 10:18 | 5830988 RyeWhiskey
RyeWhiskey's picture

It's all bull...

Thu, 02/26/2015 - 10:50 | 5831119 HardAssets
HardAssets's picture

" It's all bull . . ."

How much has the cost of bull (beef) gone up over the last year ?

I care not who writes the laws . . . just allow me to choose the numbers used in the 'statistics'.

Thu, 02/26/2015 - 10:18 | 5830989 clade7
clade7's picture

No kidding!  This has got to be depicting only .Gov employees..

Thu, 02/26/2015 - 10:21 | 5831010 vote_libertaria...
vote_libertarian_party's picture

Then those retail raise will hit in a few months...

 

Janet...rate hikes on line 1

Thu, 02/26/2015 - 10:24 | 5831027 plane jain
plane jain's picture

So this isn't the Wal-mart raise? Something like a half million people that were making less than $9 an hour getting a raise up to $9, plus some token raises for other employees?

Thu, 02/26/2015 - 10:24 | 5831017 sTls7
sTls7's picture

But... but... but the numbers are all lies, you can't believe anyone... BLS/BS, Yellen etc.

Thu, 02/26/2015 - 10:24 | 5831031 undercover brother
undercover brother's picture

Let's hope for continued increases in the velocity of wage inflation.  Yellen and her minions look at this to guage the potential for future price inflation.  If the trend continues, it's a big step towards getting the fed out of the market manipulation business.   One can only dream.......

Thu, 02/26/2015 - 10:25 | 5831035 Mitch Comestein
Mitch Comestein's picture

Same thing happened during the period of 1880-1900 and the country went into the toilet.  Oh,,,uh....wait....I think those were good times.  

 

Actually, it is great news for the employee not the employer.  However, when it gets too high someone will invent a robot to do the work.  Always a fear.

Thu, 02/26/2015 - 10:37 | 5831063 Monetas
Monetas's picture

The "Gay Ninety's" started with the Clinton administration ? The Lemmings get giddy the last ten years of every century !

Thu, 02/26/2015 - 10:32 | 5831056 Monetas
Monetas's picture

Salary adjustments (PAYCOLA) for all government employees kick in for the new year ?

Thu, 02/26/2015 - 10:35 | 5831065 Dr. Engali
Dr. Engali's picture

Better raise rates and slow down the roaring eCONomy. We don't want the proles earnning enough to feed themselves for more than 3 days out of the week.

Thu, 02/26/2015 - 11:02 | 5831173 TeethVillage88s
TeethVillage88s's picture

E-CON-omy

There fixed it for ya!

-------------------------------
--- Teeth's US Dream Anthem --
-------------------------------

- It is 1 Minute to Midnight: Neo-Feudal Debt Slavery & nuke war
- Problem is Bankers, Politicians, Lawyers & Judges
- Failure of Self Regulation of Bankers, Politicians, Lawyers & Judges
- US Constitution is Usurped, Gone are Budget Powers, Legislative Powers, War Powers
- Money has taken over the Government, Banking, Universities, Science
- American Dream is over, Corruption is the same in all Countries now
- Old American Dream may serve as basis for new Country someday

-------------------------------
--- Teeth's US Dream Anthem --
-------------------------------,

Thu, 02/26/2015 - 10:36 | 5831067 oudinot
oudinot's picture

The wage 'inflation' is a one time event.

The only reason the hourly wages went up is that many states on Jan.1 raised the level of the minimum wage.

Thu, 02/26/2015 - 10:36 | 5831068 SheepDog-One
SheepDog-One's picture

More money for the serfs? Frankly I'm SHOCKED....and I just dribbled my martini a bit....SELL Mortimer, SELL!!

Thu, 02/26/2015 - 10:37 | 5831071 Downtoolong
Downtoolong's picture

it meant real wages rose by 1.2%

There is always a way to spin it positive, and that’a about all the rah-rahs know how to do anymore.

Of course they’re not going to mention that the guy who still can’t find a job after 36 months has a real hourly wage decline of 100%.

Thu, 02/26/2015 - 10:41 | 5831085 Tsar Pointless
Tsar Pointless's picture

Isn't this inflationary? (He asks rhetorically.)

Thu, 02/26/2015 - 10:45 | 5831099 Monetas
Monetas's picture

The Socialists (my term for the FED and all the aparatchiks) .... will not stop .... until, every clown (that would be me) .... who dreamt of retiring some day .... or dreamt of a better life for his family .... by saving PMs .... wil be living under a bridge .... watch what you post !

Thu, 02/26/2015 - 10:49 | 5831117 surf0766
surf0766's picture

Yes socialist/communists/nwo/progressives all want the same thing.. A 2 class world.  Them and their slaves

Thu, 02/26/2015 - 13:02 | 5831723 GMadScientist
GMadScientist's picture

You forgot Republicans. Everybody loves big government, they just disagree on how to spend the loot.

Thu, 02/26/2015 - 14:18 | 5832117 MisterMousePotato
MisterMousePotato's picture

No, they don't. They all want to spend the loot on them and their friends. The only difference is who their friends are.

Thu, 02/26/2015 - 10:46 | 5831105 rejected
rejected's picture

Just got my check.... Nope, it's the same.

Must be those Wally World workers who just got their big raise to $9.

Thu, 02/26/2015 - 10:49 | 5831116 Colonel Walter ...
Colonel Walter E Kurtz's picture

This is shaping up just like 2008. There is some wage pressure build up for this spring/summer (at least in our area), but once the oil price decrease ramifications start being felt this fall, lets see if the wage increases hold. Kind of hard to demand wage increases when firms start cutting back workforces. All these fortune 500 firms are going to struggle to keep their share prices up with their financial engineering tactics when the strong dollar and lower revenue starts being felt on the bottom line. Then they fall back to their number one tactic, mass layoffs, so less money going out the door immediately, so they can meet quarterly numbers and executive bonuses can continue to flow. Ahhhhh.....bonuses...the life blood of Wall Street/Private Equity firms!        

Thu, 02/26/2015 - 10:52 | 5831125 Monetas
Monetas's picture

I got a notice from Union Bank .... they said if I didn't show some "Account Activity" .... in the next 30 days .... they would have to close my account .... I quickly went to their ATM .... and withdrew $20 .... a few days later .... I re-deposited it !

Thu, 02/26/2015 - 11:03 | 5831157 Monetas
Monetas's picture

The bank was empty .... but, for one teller, me and a "Banker" sitting at a desk .... the cute and very sweet teller .... encouraged me to save money by depositing one dollar the first week, then $2 the second week, etc. .... at the end of the year I would have $1400 or such .... I thanked her and told her I was a saver .... of a few coins .... the "Banker" perked up and wished me a good morning as I left ! 

Thu, 02/26/2015 - 11:06 | 5831189 HardAssets
HardAssets's picture

Of course, if you talk to most people in your local bank, they have no idea how banking really works. That includes those who are involved in the paperwork to make 'loans' and the branch manager.

Thu, 02/26/2015 - 12:06 | 5831451 Monetas
Monetas's picture

My local coin dealer ..... banks there .... so, by maintaining a $60 savings account .... I don't have to pay the $5 check cashing fee .... of course, I only sell when absolutely necessary ! Walk quietly, be friendly to all and listen !

Thu, 02/26/2015 - 11:04 | 5831177 Dragon HAwk
Dragon HAwk's picture

My Mattress gets lots of Activity...

Thu, 02/26/2015 - 10:54 | 5831133 Wm the Shrubber
Wm the Shrubber's picture

Remember; half of that increase was from me!

Thank you, Mr. Mortimer!  Maybe I can to the movies; by myself!

Thu, 02/26/2015 - 10:57 | 5831150 Jameson18
Jameson18's picture

Do these numbers take into account that there were a number of states that raised the minimum wage?

So I'm goin to guess not so bullshit

Thu, 02/26/2015 - 10:59 | 5831156 TeethVillage88s
TeethVillage88s's picture

WTF? If you promote the Weasels at the top, you get an Increase!! WTF does this even mean? What does that prove.

Hey if Foreigners are coming to Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, and South Carolina and buying homes... and that skews the National total average price of homes upward... well what does that prove?

If Legal Immigrants and Illegal Immigrants buy houses and apartments and raise the national stats, what does that mean??

- If it is reported as Economic Growth or Recovery, it means the MSM is bought and paid for!!

Thu, 02/26/2015 - 11:05 | 5831180 SillyWabbits
SillyWabbits's picture

What is the difference between a daylight saving hourly wage and a regular hourly wage?

Could this account for the increase today which will be erased on Sunday?

Thu, 02/26/2015 - 11:10 | 5831197 wagthetails
wagthetails's picture

although with 90M people note working, this is pushing on a string.

Thu, 02/26/2015 - 11:27 | 5831273 Hohum
Hohum's picture

Why is a rate hike called for with greater deflation?  A rise in rates will just intensify the trend.

Thu, 02/26/2015 - 11:31 | 5831295 Pareto
Pareto's picture

bull.....fucking.......shit.  Labor hasn't been in a power position since I can't remember when.  So, its all about the deflator as per usual.  Just making it up as they go.  Nothing to see here.  Seriously, can you see some kid rushing home, "Momma I got a raise - my real wage actually rose this month."  "yeah that's great kid.....we'll need it cause the rent just went up."

Thu, 02/26/2015 - 11:36 | 5831315 DrData02
DrData02's picture

"Surge."  13 cents an hour on the average!  One CEO got a bonus.  Main street is still behind.  C'mon Tylers 'surge' is not objective reporting.

Thu, 02/26/2015 - 12:04 | 5831425 FreeNewEnergy
FreeNewEnergy's picture

Now, now, let's stick to the narrative. Everything is awesome! US workers never had it so good. Everybody gets a wage hike, stable prices, the Fed has done its job and can raise the fed funds rate to 0.5%.

Thrilling! Banks will lose billions. I suggest Janet and her Fed butt-buddies raise interest rates four to six times this year.Get that Fed funds rate up to 2%. Banks will then lose trillions, stock market will crash, US government deficit goes over $1 trillion for the year.

Keep it going, Janet. Get that rate back to "normal" by 2017. 4 1/2-5%. The entire world will tailspin into a massive depression, much worse than the one we're in already.

Fools. The Fed's stuck in a corner and they cannot get out for at least 7-10 years. If they start hiking rates this year, expect it to be at a rate of .25% per quarter, or per half year.

2016: .75%

2017: 1.25%

2018: 2.00%

2019: 2.75%

2020: 3.50%

The above figures are extremely optimistic and will cause so much stress and pain that they are likely unachievable. Figure, at best, 1.00% by the end of 2017, 2.25% by the end of 2020. In other words, five more years to squeeze the baby boomers towards early default and death.

We're so fucking fucked, I can't fucking stand it.

I thank god I have a brain, good health, some farming/gardening skills, silver bars, an old truck and NO STOCKS.

The Fed will raise rates in the middle of a deflationary depression. Brilliant, motherfuckers! Cue 1937. Ass-holes.

Fuck you, Janet, you pompous, self-dealing whore, and fuck the government, from my town supervisor, all the way up to Mr. Oboner.

Thu, 02/26/2015 - 14:22 | 5832142 MisterMousePotato
MisterMousePotato's picture

About six months ago, I used the word "fuck" six times in a single sentence here. Still fell short of the point I was trying to make.

Thu, 02/26/2015 - 12:10 | 5831481 Monetas
Monetas's picture

Who got the raise .... the "Dictatorship (of the lazy, government filth) of the Proletariat" !

Thu, 02/26/2015 - 12:28 | 5831554 I Write Code
I Write Code's picture

Bull crap, this is just the results of a ludicrous deflator and bumped minimum wage laws - plus they are probably still averaging in Zuckerberg's $10,000,000/hr, maybe he gave himself a fat raise and that makes it look like everyone in America got ten cents an hour.

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