What may seem to be unrelated snapshots of the state of the U.S. economy might be parts of a larger, more troubling picture. Analysts, advisors, and investors alike have been monitoring recent economic reports, trying to discern whether the U.S. economy is slowing or entering an inflationary period. Determining the economy's exact trajectory has proven more challenging than many expected. For instance, the August jobs report fell significantly short of analyst expectations, with only 22,000 jobs added versu ...