Consumer confidence continued to fall in July to the lowest level since February 2021 amid inflation angst and an economic slowdown. Sales of new homes fell by 8.1% in June. … READ MORE >
Economics
FOMC policy decision preview: Fed to hike lending rate .75% next week
A 100-basis-point increase in the federal funds rate will be on the table during the Federal Open Market Committee meeting next week, but we expect the central bank will hike the policy rate by 75 basis points. … READ MORE >
Wholesale gas futures point to drop below $4 a gallon
Wholesale gasoline futures imply that the average price per gallon of gas, which stands at $4.44, will most likely fall below $4 per gallon by the end of the summer. … READ MORE >
Initial jobless claims rise to eight-month high
New filings for jobless benefits rose more than expected last week to an eight-month high of 251,000, continuing to show signs of increases in layoffs amid an economic slowdown. … READ MORE >
Existing home sales continued its slump, down 21% in 2022
Existing home sales fell for the fifth straight month as the housing market cooled significantly amid steep rises in mortgage rates and housing prices. … READ MORE >
Canada inflation hits 8.1% but shows signs of softening
Inflation reached 8.1% in June in Canada, the highest since January 1983, although the pace of the increase eased compared to previous months. … READ MORE >
U.S. housing supply continues to fall amid rising mortgage rates
There were 1.56 million new housing starts in June on an annualized basis, a 2.0% decline from May and the lowest level since last September. … READ MORE >
Can a price cap on Russian oil work?
The idea of placing a cap on the price of Russian oil leaves the question of enforcement—or how to prevent Russia and other nations from getting around the cap. … READ MORE >
Consumer sentiment eases as industrial production falls
The drop in long-term inflation expectations was quite significant, down to 2.8%, the lowest in about a year, from 3.1%. … READ MORE >
Retail sales rebounded in June amid elevated inflation
Despite solid growth in June, sales at retail and food stores failed to offset sky-high inflation for the second straight month. … READ MORE >