Soft data consists of surveys and forecasts. Less reliable but...

Soft data consists of surveys and forecasts. Less reliable but usually much more timely. Hard data consists of confirmed results. Hard is much more reliable but arrives after the fact. Usually, soft data leads hard data.For example, when it comes to employment:

• First, surveys say businesses are planning to slow hiring.
• A few surveys later, they show hiring slows.
• Then, announcements of layoffs.
• Finally, we see the unemployment rate rise.

Sometimes, it is different. The soft data signals a problem, but something intervenes, and the problem doesn’t make it to the hard data. That may be the case this time. But there is such a broad and persuasive set of soft data showing problems that it is difficult to believe the soft data is wrong.

Case in point, take the Seek (ASX:SEK) jobs data showing an extraordinary divergence between the number of applications and the number of ads:


It is a sign that workers find it difficult to get jobs. And rising unemployment is coming.


Src: https://Ztockhead.com.au/experts/a-...average-economic-median-doesnt-mean-anything/
Change Z to S

Another reason they might be struggling to find work is because the part time vacancies are being gobbled up by a lot more people now doing multiple jobs to make ends meet.
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Also many thanks to @kacy for introducing us to the Maverick of Wall St, easily the most entertaining weekly update on the US markets. Beats FX Evolution and all the rest hands down imo. Heres last weeks episode.