Minnesota job market, national economy holding steady

Minnesota’s job market is looking healthy with 8,000 jobs added in September and an unemployment rate holding steady at 3.1 percent, according to numbers released last week by the state’s Department of Employment and Economic Development.

Economists are also increasingly optimistic about prospects for the national economy and do not think the U.S. will sink into a recession in the next year, according to the latest quarterly survey of business and academic economists by The Wall Street Journal.

And, a new study by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York finds that concerns about falling consumer spending and rising student loan delinquencies with the resumption of payments have been overblown.

Hear updates on the state and local economy most Monday’s at 9 a.m. when MPR News host Angela Davis checks in with MPR News senior economics contributor Chris Farrell.

Guest:

• Chris Farrell is senior economics contributor at Minnesota Public Radio. He’s also a senior contributor at Marketplace, American Public Media's nationally syndicated public radio business and economic program.

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Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.