” Inflation in wages is not really present right now. A report for the third quarter showed that the Employment Cost Index slipped to +0.4% from +0.5% in the second quarter. Bloomberg was calling for a reading of +0.5% today, but that appears to be rounded up as the range was 0.4% to 0.5% for the third quarter. Dow Jones also had a consensus of 0.5% for the third quarter.”