Data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics; Chart: Axios Visuals
There's an important feature that distinguishes the job market from years past: a booming share of prime-age workers in the labor force, Axios' Courtenay Brown writes.
The labor force participation rate of those aged 25–54 — that is, the share who are employed or looking for work — was 83.5% in February, the government said today.
That's the high of this economic cycle, last reached in June 2023. Before that, you have to go back more than 20 years to find a similar participation rate for this cohort.
Why it matters: It's been a week of all-time highs and round-number milestones for fans of the world's oldest cryptocurrency — but declaring these numbers in the first place can be more art than science.
Between the lines: At what price bitcoin peaked depends on the platform — numbers vary across exchanges, writes Axios' Crystal Kim.
Earlier this week, we asked you for feedback on our big internal debate about weights vs. cardio amid signs that Americans are losing interest in the latter.
The response nearly crashed our inboxes!
The verdict: Closer readers haven't abandoned good old-fashioned cardio — you like a mix of both.
Here's a selection:
Carolyn: "I would not consider myself having 'worked out' if I didn't do both things, and on days when I don't go and only walk for exercise, I feel like I'm cheating."
Caleb: "Every ounce of muscle you build with weights is more calories burned doing cardio. Better cardio fitness makes lifting more effective."
Erin: "Cardio without weights = gerbil on a wheel."
If the last few years have taught us anything about electric vehicles, it's that they're easy to design but hard to manufacture at scale — and even harder to do so profitably.
Why it matters: Rivian revealed three additional new vehicles on Thursday, but like many other EV makers before it, the company is still burning cash at a breathtaking pace.
It's not the rip-roaringjob market we thought it was, but Friday's payrolls release shows employers still have the healthy appetite for workers that's kept the economy humming in recent years.
Why it matters: The report had something for everyone — hiring was strong, but other indicators like a higher jobless rate suggest the U.S. labor market is shifting to a cooler state.
Novo Nordisk shares, already soaring on the popularity of Ozempic and Wegovy, notched a record high Thursday after reporting positive early results for another weight-loss drug candidate.
The big picture: The drug giant's stock has increased more than 88% in price over the past year, and closed trading Thursday as the 12th largest company in the world by market value, surpassing Tesla.
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