Given the growth and economic power of the Hispanic community in the United States, we believe it will strengthen the backbone of the real economy, helping the country solve a range of issues in the post-pandemic world, such as labor shortages, dampened population growth, and structural economic ... READ MORE >
Chart of the day: Consumer sentiment eases
The headline consumer sentiment index inched down to 71.4 in October from 72.8 in September because of an uptick in short-term inflation expectations and higher gas prices, according to data released by the University of Michigan on Friday. At the same time, consumer expectations for inflation in the ... READ MORE >
Retail sales defied expectations, continuing to rise in September
Retail sales defied expectations in September, rising in back-to-back months and highlighting the resilience in consumer spending amid supply shortages and the surge of the delta variant. Such strong sales numbers helped to offset some of the impact from rising prices in the Consumer Price Index for ... READ MORE >
Chart of the day: Producer Price Index slowed for second month
A day after the Labor Department reported that inflation for consumers had remained stubbornly high in September, the department reported that prices paid by sellers decelerated for the second month in a row. The headline Producer Price Index (PPI) eased to a 0.5% gain on a month-over-month basis, from ... READ MORE >
Initial jobless claims hit a pandemic low
In another sign of the continuing tight labor market, new jobless claims hit a pandemic low at 290,000 for the week ending Oct. 9, following an upwardly revised reading of 329,000 in the previous week. This significant drop continues to highlight a labor market in which demand for labor has been the ... READ MORE >
Inflation remains elevated as supply chain disruptions persist
Inflation continued to move at or near the top of its pandemic-induced pace in September with the overall Consumer Price Index increasing by 0.4% on the month and by 5.4% on an annual basis as supply chain disruptions fueled increases for the sixth consecutive month. Sectors that are sensitive to ... READ MORE >
Job openings eased as quits hit a record
Demand for labor remained strong as job openings ebbed to 10.4 million in August following a record in July, which was revised upwardly to 11.1 million, according to Labor Department data released on Tuesday. Job hires declined in back-to-back months, to 6.3 million from the recent high of 6.8 million ... READ MORE >
How $15 an hour became the de-facto minimum wage
It is becoming abundantly clear that the minimum wage has gone the way of buggy whip and that a new de facto entry-level wage of $15 per hour is becoming the national standard in the private sector. The shock to the economy unleashed by the pandemic and the response by workers have radically ... READ MORE >
Initial jobless claims fell more than expected as labor market gained momentum
First-time claims for jobless benefits—a proxy for layoffs—declined more than expected for the week ending Oct. 2 in a sign that the labor market continues to be tight and that layoffs are not a major issue in the economy. The headline claims for newly unemployed workers posted a significant 10.4% drop ... READ MORE >
ADP private payrolls report: Strong rebound, but not for middle market firms
An early estimate of nonfarm private employment showed a surprisingly strong rebound in September after a disappointing August, according to data released by ADP on Wednesday. The headline monthly change in employment—published in advance of the Bureau of Labor Statistics' more comprehensive jobs ... READ MORE >