Housing starts rose by 10.7% in February, while permits increased by 1.9%, according to data released by the Commerce Department on Tuesday. … READ MORE >
Economics
Industrial production rises to highest level in three months
Overall industrial production volume rose by 0.1% on the back of robust manufacturing production, which grew by 0.8% on the month, the Federal Reserve reported on Friday. … READ MORE >
U.S. retail sales in February grew at the fastest rate since September
Once the seasonal factors in January’s data faded away, overall spending at retail stores, restaurants and online remained solid as consumers continued to benefit from a strong labor market and growing incomes. … READ MORE >
FOMC preview: A status quo meeting
We anticipate that the Federal Open Market Committee meeting on March 19 and 20 will maintain the status quo in its policies. … READ MORE >
February consumer price index: Sticky yet under control
Inflation remains below wage growth as real hourly wages increased by 1.1% on the month and on a year-ago basis. … READ MORE >
Should the U.S. ban imports of Chinese electric vehicles?
Should a pause or outright barrier on entry of Chinese EVs into the U.S. market happen, this should not lead companies to become complacent. … READ MORE >
Canada’s jobs report offers mixed messages on rates
The economy added 40,700 jobs, exceeding expectations and a sign of remaining steam that could keep the economy afloat for a few more months. … READ MORE >
U.S. employment report: Robust hiring continued in February
Sustained demand for labor in the American economy was on vivid display on Friday as the Labor Department reported that 275,000 jobs were created in February. … READ MORE >
Bank of Canada maintains interest rate at 5%
The Bank of Canada kept its policy rate unchanged at 5% for the fifth time in a row as it continued to wait for inflation to further moderate. … READ MORE >
Job openings inch down as economy stays on track for a soft landing
Job openings cooled in back-to-back months to 8.86 million in January with December’s figure revised down to 8.89 million from 9.03 million previously, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. … READ MORE >