For weeks economic cassandras have been banging the drum about a spring rebound in the US economy, but the handful of already available April releases have fallen short of the prophecies. This increases the tension between the jobs market and other parts of the economy and leaves markets suspended in a limbo that will only get resolved by either growth picking up or hiring slowing down, which will also ultimately determine the direction of Federal Reserve (Fed) policy as well as asset prices. Companies maintained a robust pace of hiring despite curtailing investment over the past half year, creating a sense of ... (full story)