Spencer Platt/Getty ImagesThis story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. If you're scanning for signs of weakness in the economy, the common advice has been to look at the labor market, and one economist says there are two things in particular to pay attention to. Speaking with Business Insider, he said that he's not currently forecasting a recession, but he's watching the labor market for signs of distress. "To contrast those older workers against the younger ones, those [in the first category] do have a lot more spending power," he said. However, he added that it's clear the tail ends of the labor market are less stable.