Canada’s Consumer Price Index increased by 4% on an annual basis in August, far exceeding the central bank’s 2% target. … READ MORE >
Inflation
Low core inflation should keep the Fed from hiking rates
While we expect the Federal Reserve to hold rates unchanged on Wednesday, what its updated Summary of Economic Projections will look like remains less clear. … READ MORE >
R-star: The role of the natural rate of interest in monetary policy and economic growth
Known by economists as r-star, it has risen to a range between 1.75% and 2% in our estimation, a marked increase from the 0.5% that had prevailed over the previous 15 years. … READ MORE >
August retail sales and producer inflation show a hot summer finish
Retail sales and producer inflation came in significantly higher than expected, while initial jobless claims were lower than the market consensus. … READ MORE >
Energy pushes inflation higher but core prices remain grounded
Consumer inflation in August posted the biggest monthly increase in more than a year, driven mostly by the surge in oil and energy prices. … READ MORE >
Why the Fed should lift its 2% inflation target
We expect the Fed to hold its policy rate steady at 5.25% to 5.5% at its meeting next week and would advise the Fed to begin shaping expectations about a likely cyclical peak at that range. … READ MORE >
U.S. August jobs report: Labor market continues to cool
In August, the U.S. economy added 187,000 jobs and the unemployment rate settled in at 3.8%, according to Labor Department data released on Friday. … READ MORE >
Personal spending grows hot in July as inflation stabilizes
American consumers remained in the position of strength when it came to spending and income growth this summer as inflation stabilized further and the labor market stayed resilient. … READ MORE >
Consumer products M&A cooled in the first half
Merger and acquisition activity among consumer products companies took a breather in the first half of the year as valuations were reset amid rising interest rates. … READ MORE >
New data points to further economic slowdown and disinflation
Job openings fell to 9.58 million in June, the lowest since April 2021, according to government data released on Tuesday. … READ MORE >