Inflation is proving to be persistent in Canada, with the Consumer Price Index increasing at an annual pace of 4.4% in September amid shortages of workers and supplies. … READ MORE >
Coronavirus
Chart of the day: U.S. industrial production fell as Ida’s impact lingered
The impact of Hurricane Ida continued to be a drag on industrial production in September, accounting for a significant drop not only in mining but also in manufacturing output. … 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. … 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. … 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. … 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. … 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. … 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. … READ MORE >
Chart of the day: Commercial paper points to strong corporate recovery
Commercial paper issuance is strong and resembles the robust recovery in corporate activity that took place after the financial crisis. The level of commercial paper outstanding is mirroring the increase in economic activity that began in the fourth quarter of last year. … READ MORE >
Chart of the day: The ‘real’ unemployment rate is 8.2%
The headline U3 unemployment rate of 4.8% for September is probably an undercount of the number of out-of-work people in the United States. … READ MORE >