The headline consumer sentiment index rose to 70.4 on the month from 67.4 previously, and only 0.1 higher than August when the delta variant’s surge hit the United States. … READ MORE >
Initial jobless claims fall to 52-year low amid labor shortages
Initial claims for jobless benefits fell to 184,000 for the week ending Dec. 4, down from 227,000 in the previous week, according to Labor Department data released on Thursday. … READ MORE >
Chart of the day: Job openings rise to second highest on record as quit rate slowed
Job openings, a proxy for labor demand, reached 11.03 million, exceeding 11 million for the second time on record, slightly lower than the all-time high set in July. … READ MORE >
Chart of the day: U.S. trade deficit improved significantly in October
The U.S. trade deficit posted a sharp decline in October to $67.1 billion from the record $81.4 billion in September, according to data released by the U.S. Census Bureau on Tuesday. … READ MORE >
Chart of the day: Service sector expands at record pace
The shift back to spending on services continued to accelerate in November as the headline purchasing managers’ index for services reached an all-time high, according to data released by the Institute of Supply Management on Friday. … READ MORE >
Initial jobless claims tick up but labor market remains tight
New filings for jobless claims rose on a seasonally adjusted basis to 222,000 for the week ending Nov. 27, beating expectations and continuing an overall improvement of the labor market. … READ MORE >
Chart of the day: Manufacturing sector gained as price pressures eased
The manufacturing sector grew at a slightly higher pace in November than in October as demand for manufactured goods remained robust, according to a new report from the Institute for Supply Management on Wednesday. … READ MORE >
ADP jobs report: Large firms continued to pull ahead in November
The ADP report for private nonfarm employment in November posted a slightly lower gain than in October yet it still beat market expectations in a sign that the labor market is continuing to recover. … READ MORE >
Chart of the day: U.S. consumer confidence inches down
Consumer confidence inched down in November to 109.5, the lowest since March, as inflation continued to take its toll. … READ MORE >
Trade in 2022: Supply chain challenges and policy implications
Nearly two years after the pandemic shut down the global economy, policymakers are facing a new challenge as global supply chain bottlenecks push up inflation and hamper economic growth. How countries confront these disruptions will have a big impact on economic growth in the coming year. … READ MORE >