Headlines You Might See During An Economic Recovery

By Holly A. Bell

The newspaper headlines seem to be a mix of positive and negative economic indicators lately. On the positive side we’re hearing new jobless claims and unemployment are down, corporate profits are up, and the stock market is at its highest level in years. However, the negative does seem to prevail this week. Headlines have included housing sales losing ground while mortgage interest rates increase, FedEx has warned they are lowering their financial expectations for the near-term due to predictions of slower economic growth, and others have even started to mention stagflation.

A Wall Street Journal article this week outlined some “silly” economic indicators of improved economic conditions. They include more people going to sit-down restaurants, increased demand for liposuction, and more visits to dry cleaners. While I (and the author of the article I might add) think these indicators are in fact…well…silly, there are some headlines that would be sure signs of economic improvement.

Inspired by the Wall Street Journal article I submit my own headlines that would indicate economic prosperity. Granted, these would not all be leading indicators, but you will know our economy has improved when you hear them.

“University and College Enrollment Drops”

I know, as a university professor I’m supposed to be promoting the importance of a more educated workforce. But the reality is when more jobs are available, young adults often opt for work rather than higher education. Plus, during times of economic prosperity employers often lower education requirements in favor of other measures of ability and aptitude. I would much rather have to work harder to convince students about the importance of higher education than have 10-20% year-over-year enrollment growth rates as students “hide out” at universities waiting for the economy to improve. Of course the value of this headline depends on whether or not jobs return prior to the bursting of the student loan bubble. Related headlines include “University Job Fair Sees Record Number of Vendors” and “Starting Salaries of Recent University Graduates on the Rise”.

“More Women Opt-Out of the Workforce”

As a woman I am certainly not advocating for women to leave the workforce.  However, the reality of the current “mancession” is that more men have lost their jobs than women. This means women, who have in contemporary times had the option to make career/family choices, have been forced to stay at work while raising children. The recession has often made women the primary wage earners for their families. Let’s face it ladies, when we’re working we want to be home raising our children, when we’re not working we long for the expanded self-identity that comes from our careers. While this is simply part of our DNA, nothing causes more stress for women than not having the option to choose which role to assume. I suspect, when the economy improves there might be some women who are ready for a break and more time with their families.

“Aging Baby Boomers Retire At Quickened Pace”

The loss of savings caused by the decline in the stock market left many baby boomers unable to retire. As the market recovers and people regain confidence in their financial security, an increasing number of baby boomers should start to feel financially secure enough to retire.

While not a comprehensive list of headlines, the above represent some of the major issues being faced by young adults, families, and older Americans during the recession and would be indicators of increased financial security as a result of economic recovery.

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