Attention, jittery investors: Stop panicking … this is what a soft landing should look like

Slowing job growth in the US should come as no surprise, writes Christopher Decker

The Dow, the S&P 500 and Nasdaq composite all posted losses on August 5. The Japanese Nikkei also closed 12% lower, a significant drop.

What a difference a job report makes. Earlier in the summer, people were worried that the economy was too hot. But now — in response mainly to weaker-than-expected employment data released on August 2 — stocks are plunging. Some analysts even worry that a recession could be on the horizon.

As a professor of business economics, I beg everyone, from investors to consumers to policymakers: Please calm down, take 10 deep breaths and relax. The economic data, taken together, paint a brighter, if more complex, picture.