Sully: What needs to happen to end the labor shortage in America

Stocks are off to a mixed start on Wall Street as traders wait for the latest U.S. monthly jobs report due out Friday.

The S&P 500 was up less than 0.1% in the early going Wednesday.

The benchmark index is on track to close out its fifth straight winning quarter after emerging from a steep drop in early 2020 at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

There are 1.4 million fewer mothers working than before the pandemic, according to KUSI contributor Sully Sullivan.

Sully also said much of that shortfall is likely due to disrupted schooling and the need to be home with kids.

As for older workers, Oxford Economics estimates that 2.5 million have retired since the start of the pandemic, about twice the normal rate.