Wages and Salaries Jump <br />by the Highest Rate in a Decade Wages and salaries <br />have jumped 3.1% <br />over the past year. The 0.9% third quarter <br />raise beat expectations by 0.4%. Wage growth has been <br />considered the missing <br />component of an otherwise <br />strong U.S. economy. Michael Pearce, senior economist at Capital Economics, <br />via CNBC U.S. unemployment <br />is the lowest it's been <br />in nearly five decades. Historically, wage growth <br />and low unemployment <br />leads to high consumer confidence. High consumer confidence <br />is one of the key signs <br />of more inflation. Inflation equals to a <br />general increase in prices and <br />fall in the purchasing value of money.
