Employment and gasoline price trends are among two of the most important drivers of foodservice sales. Data released during the past week has jobs growth looking positive while gasoline prices have risen, though modestly, since an agreement by the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries to cut production.

The U.S. added 178,000 non-farm payroll jobs in November, a bit above economists’ expectations. The unemployment rate fell to a post-recession low of 4.6%, but mostly because of a drop in the number of Americans looking for work. Average hourly earnings fell slightly after several months of strong gains. Still, average hourly wages have risen 2.5% during the past 12 months, well ahead of the 1.6% gain in the Consumer Price Index during the past 12 months. Leisure and hospitality continued to add jobs with 29,000 created in November, including18,800 in foodservice.

Meanwhile, average gasoline prices, which had been falling for nearly a month as cheaper winter blends were being produced, have risen for eight consecutive days since OPEC announced an agreement to curtail production beginning Jan. 1. An average gallon of regular stood at $2.181 on Dec. 5, up from $2.125 the previous Monday, down from $2.222 a month ago and up from $2.042 a year ago. Crude oil prices have surged 12% since the announcement of the agreement. Still, while non-OPEC members such as Russia have said they will participate in the cuts, oil analysts and traders remain skeptical. 

The Labor Department is challenging an injunction that has put a hold on changes to federal overtime regulations.

The Food and Drug Administration will soon publish a final rule formally extending the compliance date for menu labeling regulations to May 5, 2017. The extension aligns the compliance date, which had been Dec. 1, 2016, with the May enforcement date. The regulations require disclosure of certain nutrition information for standard menu items in certain…