Robust job gains combined with the unemployment rate holding steady near a record low at 5% should push the expectations of a recession—even a mild one—on hold, or at least push them to the second half of the year. … READ MORE >
Jobless claims rise, but remain below pre-pandemic level
New filings for unemployment benefits increased by 7.1% to 196,000 for the week ending Feb. 4, the Labor Department reported on Thursday. … READ MORE >
Initial jobless claims remain below the pre-pandemic level
New filings for jobless benefits continued to defy market expectations, falling to 183,000 last week from 186,000 a week earlier. … READ MORE >
Job openings rise again in December, adding to pressure on the Fed
The number of job vacancies jumped to 11 million in December from 10.4 million. … READ MORE >
Canadian economy grew by 0.1% in November
Canada’s gross domestic product growth remained unchanged in November at 0.1% as tightened monetary policies continued to slow the economy. … READ MORE >
Labor costs slow, setting the stage for smaller Fed rate hike
The index showed that labor cost growth fell to 1.0% on a quarterly basis, and to 5.1% on a year-ago basis for all workers, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Employment Cost Index released on Tuesday. … READ MORE >
American consumers grow more cautious as spending falls
Personal spending fell by 0.2% in dollar terms in December and by 0.3% after adjusting for inflation, which rose by 0.1% on the month. … READ MORE >
Initial jobless claims fall despite layoff news
New filings for unemployment benefits fell to 186,000 last week, a 10-month low. … READ MORE >
Back-to-normal supply chain fuels disinflation tailwind
Supply chains in the United States continued to recover in December, remaining at the pre-COVID level for the sixth straight month, according to the RSM US Supply Chain Index. … READ MORE >
Home sales dropped by 17.8% last year in biggest drop since 2008
December’s sales declined by 1.5% to 4.02 million units annualized. That brought the total number of units sold last year to 5.03 million, 17.8% lower than in 2021. … READ MORE >