Is the US economy on track for a ‘soft landing’? Friday’s jobs report may offer clues

By CHRISTOPHER RUGABER
AP Economics Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) — Can the U.S. economy achieve a much-hyped “soft landing”? Friday’s jobs report for November will likely provide some signs of whether that elusive scenario is coming into view. Many of the most recent economic figures have been encouraging. Companies are advertising fewer job openings, and Americans are switching jobs less often than they did a year ago, trends that typically slow wage growth and inflation pressures. Hiring is cooling, and price increases have moderated significantly. All of which means the Federal Reserve may stand an increasingly good chance of bringing inflation down to its 2% annual target without causing a deep recession — the common definition of a soft landing.