[AstralStorm]

Job growth on it's own is nothing if the new jobs cannot provide a living (well enough of one), as it will still starve multiple sectors of economy of income and shrink them hard, possibly beyond recovery. And interest rates are already near zero so that cannot be cut either. Taxes could but it will instead ruin already underinvested infrastructure.

Personal monetary liquidity would be a good measure, combined with business liquidity. (Money velocity excluding banks.)

Unfortunate fact is that because prices increased (mostly due to greed in oil/gas sector and housing bubble) and wages did not, it results in USA people facing austerity and cutting spending. And if they have to do it, so do companies, ultimately.

Covid mostly accelerated the trend in a few industries.