That's not because the other pieces of data don't matter. The jobless rate (which fell from 4.2% to 4.1%), the number of people in work, the level of vacancies and the days lost through strikes all convey important information about the state of the economy.
But this month there was particular focus on the rise in earnings between May and July compared with the same three months a year ago because that figure -4% - is used to calculate one part of the pensions triple lock.
This story is from the September 11, 2024 edition of The Guardian.
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This story is from the September 11, 2024 edition of The Guardian.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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