Worker shortages, supply chain crisis fuel U.S. top states for business battle: CNBC

NEW YORK, June 14 (Xinhua) -- America's domestic supply chain is broken, and one of the main reasons is an acute shortage of workers - 5.5 million more job openings than there are workers available to fill them, CNBC reported on Monday, citing the Labor Department.

"Those historic imbalances in the economy have turbocharged the competition between states for business and jobs," said the report, noting that in 2022, workforce carries the most weight in the television network's business rankings for U.S. states.

Many experts believe worker shortages will be a long-term feature in the U.S. economy, not just because of the "Great Resignation," but because of demographics, according to the report.

Meanwhile, the national effort to rebuild the supply chain takes more than people, said the report, adding that infrastructure is key and the second most important category in its state rankings this year.

In their competition, the report said, U.S. states are helping companies make their decisions by offering generous incentives for companies to set up shops there. Incentives are increasingly important in a time of record inflation, as companies seek to reduce their costs.