The one-time seasonal factors that contributed to the decline should subside. Permits for new buildings and homes held up in January, rising by 0.1%. … READ MORE >
The decline in January retail sales is less concerning than it might seem
The January retail sales report is one of those rare occasions where looking at the 12-month change makes more sense than the monthly metric. … READ MORE >
Producer inflation topped forecasts in January, led by food and energy prices
The producer price index rose by 0.4% in January, following an upwardly revised 0.5% increase in December, making it the hottest two-month stretch of inflation since February last year. … READ MORE >
Consumer sentiment fell amid inflation concerns from trade war
The University of Michigan consumer sentiment index fell to 67.8 in February, the lowest level since July, as sentiment of both current and future conditions deteriorated. … READ MORE >
Labor demand cools in December
Job openings fell to 7.6 million from 8.2 million in November, near the pre-pandemic level and providing the Fed with more relief regarding wage pressure on inflation. … READ MORE >
Strong core business spending hints at another robust GDP report
American business spending on core equipment came in higher than forecast in December, with both orders and shipments pointing to strong growth to end the year. … READ MORE >
U.S. retail sales continued to grow in December
American consumers ended the year on a strong note, with total retail sales rising by 0.4%, … READ MORE >
Initial jobless claims fall to lowest level since April
Initial jobless claims fell unexpectedly to 211,000 for the last week of December, the Labor Department reported on Thursday. … READ MORE >
The Fed is right: Strong GDP data points to fewer rate cuts
The latest estimate of gross domestic product in the third quarter came out stronger than expected, rising by 3.1% instead of 2.8%. … READ MORE >
Housing starts fall below estimates as permits rebound
The recent levels of starts and permits do not suggest enough future supply to meet the growing demand of American households to keep home prices under control. … READ MORE >