The convergence of the economy's biggest mysteries

Why is wage growth so low? And why is productivity growth so low? Could it be the same culprit?

Two red arrows intersect as the economy falls
(Image credit: illustrated | Gearstd)

This past Friday brought news that the U.S. economy added 157,000 jobs in July, dropping unemployment to 3.9 percent. The unemployment rate has only gotten that low twice before in the last 50 years.

Yet this spectacular performance has come with two bitter mysteries: Wage growth remains sluggish and productivity growth is pathetic.

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Jeff Spross

Jeff Spross was the economics and business correspondent at TheWeek.com. He was previously a reporter at ThinkProgress.