Fed Gets New Path to Go Big as Job Openings, Confidence Surprise

US jobs openings and a consumer confidence gauge both topped forecasts, pointing to strength in household and labor demand that risks sustaining inflationary pressures and raises the prospects for a third straight 75 basis-point interest-rate hike by the Federal Reserve.

The Conference Board’s August index of sentiment rose to athree-month high, and the report also showed firmer buying plans for appliances and cars. Job vacancies, meanwhile, unexpectedly increased to 11.2 million in July, close to a record and underscoring persistent tightness in the labor market.

One job-market indicator scrutinized by Fed Chair Jerome Powell -- the number of ...