This is the fourth article in a series examining the transformation of the American workforce during the pandemic. Part I looked at what is driving this change, Part II looked at the rise of $15 an hour as the de facto minimum wage in the private sector and Part III discussed the surge in new business ... READ MORE >
Coronavirus
RSM UK Financial Conditions Index: Holding steady
Financial conditions in the UK remain accommodative, signaling confidence that the policies of the monetary and fiscal authorities have created the framework for a sustained economic recovery. Ahead of the Bank of England’s critical decisions on policy normalization on Thursday, this should provide ... READ MORE >
U.S. jobs report preview: Expect a gain of 475,000 in October
When the October U.S. employment report is released on Friday, a central area of focus will be on the potential return of women in their prime working years to the labor force as the delta variant fades, child care becomes more available, schools reopen and hiring accelerates. We expect that the ... READ MORE >
Chart of the day: U.S. manufacturing remained strong in October
The U.S. manufacturing sector continued to expand in October as growth remained positive despite supply chain constraints. The Purchasing Managers' Index inched down to 60.8 from 61.1 in September, but still posted the 17th straight month of expansion since April 2020, according to a report from ... READ MORE >
RSM US Manufacturing Outlook Index: Expansion hits headwinds
The recovery of the manufacturing sector in the United States remained intact in October, with expectations for the expansion to continue over the next six months. Surveys of manufacturing activity conducted by regional Federal Reserve banks reported increases in new orders despite backlogs, longer ... READ MORE >
Workers chart a different course as new business formations surge
This is the third article in a series examining the transformation of the American workforce during the pandemic. Part I looked at what is driving this change and Part II looked at the rise of $15 an hour as the de facto minimum wage in the private sector. One area of a dynamically changing domestic ... READ MORE >
Chart of the day: Wages grew fastest in 20 years
The tight labor market sent worker compensation growth in the third quarter to its highest level in 20 years, posting a 1.3% gain, according to Employment Cost Index data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics on Friday. The Employment Cost Index is the Federal Reserve's top wage gauge, and is ... READ MORE >
Personal spending grew in September despite mitigating factors
Personal spending grew in September for the second straight month as the extra income from the enhanced Child Tax Credit program continued to offset the impact from the delta variant on consumption demand. The headline spending number rose 0.6% on the month, following an upwardly revised 1.0% in ... READ MORE >
FOMC preview: Tapering explained
Next week’s meeting of the Federal Open Market Committee will focus on the Federal Reserve’s exit from its pandemic-era asset purchase program that has sent its balance sheet above $8.5 trillion. We expect that the Fed will announce plans to reduce its monthly monetary accommodation of $140 billion ... READ MORE >
Chart of the day: Pending home sales dipped in September
The pending home sales index fell by 2.3% to 116.7 in September after a strong gain of 8% in August, a sign of a modest pullback in home buying as some purchases are delayed until next year, according to a report from the National Association of Realtors on Thursday. But the market remains strong, and ... READ MORE >