173. Prof Emily Oster on Good Data, Bad Data, and the Truth About Parenting in High-Stress Careers

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In this episode of The Wall Street Skinny, Kristen and Jen sit down with Professor Emily Oster, a Harvard-educated economist with a PhD and a faculty position at Brown University where her studies focus on approaches to finding causality in observational data, as well as the best-selling author of "Expecting Better", "Crib Sheet", and "The Family Firm". Oster is known for her data-driven approach to pregnancy and parenting. The conversation centers on the theme of “good data” vs. “bad data”, how flawed methodologies or biased sampling can lead to misleading conclusions in everything from public health studies to economic indicators. She explains what it means to be an economist, outlines the hierarchy of research, and underscores the importance of asking the right questions. The discussion also tackles the truth about conceiving at an advanced maternal age, what the data says about parenting choices like sleep training, and the trade-offs between daycare and staying home.

Kristen and Jen also get into markets, unpacking the July non-farm payrolls report, which missed expectations and saw a significant downward revision to prior months, erasing 258,000 jobs from May and June, the largest adjustment since COVID. They explain why such revisions matter: the Fed’s dual mandate depends on both employment and inflation data, so changes like this can shift interest rate expectations. The hosts also address the political backdrop, from President Trump’s firing of the Bureau of Labor Statistics Commissioner to the broader implications for trust in economic data, with Jen noting that tariffs and immigration policy could affect small business reporting, introducing lags and inaccuracies.

This offers practical insight into how listeners can interpret data, whether for personal decisions, or investment strategies.

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