Manufacturing conditions in September remain far above recession levels, suggesting a positive outlook for the economic expansion. … READ MORE >
Coronavirus
Chart of the day: Goods trade deficit widened in August as delta variant weighed on exports
A rise in imports led to a higher U.S. trade deficit in goods in August, pointing to the impact of the delta variant on exports, while automobiles took center stage in dragging down both exports and imports. … READ MORE >
Consumer confidence declined again in September as delta variant dampened optimism
The headline Consumer Confidence Index fell to 109.3 in September—a seven-month low—from 115.2 in July in another sign that the delta variant is dampening consumer optimism and spending. … READ MORE >
Chart of the day: Durable goods orders surged by a surprising 1.8% in August
Helped by strong aircraft orders, durable goods orders in August rose by 1.8% on the month, easily beating analyst estimates of 0.7%, according to Commerce Department data released Monday. … READ MORE >
Modeling the shock to the economy from a debt-ceiling crisis
The inability of the political sector to reach an equitable compromise on lifting the U.S. debt ceiling will come into sharp focus over the next few days. The federal government will exhaust its funding on Thursday, but can temporarily remain in operation because of special measures taken by the Department … … READ MORE >
Chart of the day: Canada’s retail sales cool amid bumpy recovery
Continuing what has been a volatile year for consumers, Canada’s retail sales decreased by 0.6% in July compared to June, according to data released on Thursday by Statistics Canada. … READ MORE >
FOMC policy decision: Fed signals tapering is on the way
The Federal Reserve is planning to slow the pace of its $120 billion in monthly asset purchases even as it keeps its policy rate at zero, it suggested in its policy statement released on Wednesday. … READ MORE >
Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee to focus on economic risk as energy prices surge
At its meeting on Thursday, the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee should be more concerned about the negative impact on the economic recovery from soaring energy prices than about the upward impact on headline inflation. … READ MORE >
Chart of the day: Sales of existing homes drop amid high prices
Existing home sales in August inched down 2.0% to 5.88 million, following an upwardly revised 6.00 million in July. … READ MORE >
Home builders, facing shortage of materials, can’t meet soaring demand
Even as the housing market continues to lead the U.S. economic recovery, home builders, whipsawed by more than a year of dramatic changes fueled by the pandemic, are facing new pressures as they try to meet surging demand. … READ MORE >