Retail sales increased by 0.6% in June, reflecting the broader narrative that underscores the American economy: Strong fundamentals around increasing employment, rising wages and savings will support a robust rebound as growth posts a cyclical peak in the second quarter. … READ MORE >
Coronavirus
Canada’s economic miracle: How Vancouver and Toronto have defied the pandemic and trade wars
Fueled by growing industries like technology, media and entertainment, Vancouver and Toronto are showing how a reimagined economy based on information and digital technologies can bring more resilience and prosperity even amid the economic shock of a pandemic. … READ MORE >
Why the housing market is not in a bubble
Not only are inventories below their historical averages, but buyers are also more credit-worthy – two significant differences from the housing bubble of the years before the Great Recession. … READ MORE >
Consumer Price Index surges 5.4% in June as the economy reopens
The recent surge in domestic prices continued as consumer prices increased by 0.9% on a monthly basis and by 5.4% on a year-ago basis, according to Labor Department data released on Tuesday. … READ MORE >
Coronavirus update: Vaccines and the pandemic in 6 charts
The emergence of the Delta variant presents another round of economic risks that are part of the reason why we recently lowered our growth forecast for the year from 7.5% to 7% in the United States. … READ MORE >
CHART OF THE DAY: Inflation expectations remain rational and muted
A look at one of our preferred measurements of inflation expectations implies that the risk of a sustained outbreak of inflation is receding just as another set of inflation data—the Consumer Price Index for June—is about to be published on Tuesday. … READ MORE >
CHART OF THE DAY: Improving labor market signals increased consumer confidence and spending
The steady drop in unemployment claims this year coincides with a steady increase in consumer confidence, as seen in the Langer Research Consumer Comfort Index. … READ MORE >
The rebirth of industrial policy in the United States
The U.S. Innovation and Competition Act of 2021, a $250 billion legislative package passed in June to facilitate the research and development of science and technology, represents a sea change in U.S. economic strategy and a return of the government’s use of industrial policy. But the embrace of industrial policy to solve economic and strategic problems carries with it considerable possibilities and risks. … READ MORE >
Initial jobless claims imply that ending benefits does not improve employment numbers
First-time claims inched higher by 2,000, to 373,000, for the week ending July 3 from an upwardly revised 371,000 for the week ending June 26, according to the Labor Department. … READ MORE >
CHART OF THE DAY: May was another good month for the labor market
The Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey suggests that American workers are enjoying a moment when work is plentiful and firms appear willing to meet demand for higher wages. … READ MORE >