The increase in confidence was broad-based in December, with the overall index rising to 110.7 from 101. … READ MORE >
U.S. retail sales grew by more than expected in November
Sales increased by 0.3% on the month or by 5.9% on a three-month moving average annualized pace. … READ MORE >
Initial jobless claims remain resilient
Initial jobless claims inched up slightly to 220,000 last week, remaining within the pre-pandemic level, the Labor Department reported on Thursday. … READ MORE >
Job openings fall to lowest level since 2021, signaling Fed pivot
With 8.7 million job openings in October, the vacancies-to-unemployed ratio has fallen to 1.34, only slightly higher than the pre-pandemic average of around 1.24 … READ MORE >
U.S. economic outlook: Expansion continues into 2024
Expect the economy to settle into its long-term growth rate of around 1.8% next year. Read our forecasts for growth, inflation, unemployment, the dollar, interest rates and fiscal policy. … READ MORE >
Manufacturing sector in U.S. contracts in November
The manufacturing sector contracted for the second month in a row in November as lower overall demand and persistent labor shortages took their toll, the Institute for Supply Management reported on Friday. … READ MORE >
Inflation slows again, pointing to another rate pause
The personal consumption expenditures price index, the Federal Reserve’s favorite inflation metric, was unchanged on the month, while the core measure rose by 0.2%. … READ MORE >
Durable goods and jobless claims offer a mixed picture of the economy
Overall orders for durable goods fell by 5.4% in October, led by a 49.6% decline in nondefense aircraft because of a drop in Boeing orders. … READ MORE >
U.S. existing home sales plunged to their lowest level since 2010
In October, sales of existing homes dropped to 3.79 million, marking the lowest point since 2010, the National Realtor Association reported on Tuesday. … READ MORE >
Industrial production posts biggest drop this year amid strikes
Production of motor and vehicle parts fell by 10% in October, marking the biggest drop since the beginning of the pandemic. … READ MORE >