Friday’s data on spending and income, together with recent data on gross domestic product, have pointed to a booming economy that should push back any speculation for an imminent recession. … READ MORE >
consumer spending
Excess savings are critical to the economic expansion’s duration
According to our analysis of revised BEA data, consumers are on a strong footing, with between $400 billion and $1.3 trillion in excess savings that they can draw upon as the economy moves back toward price stability. … 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 >
Consumer confidence falls to six-month low
The top-line confidence level fell to 102.3 from an upwardly revised 103.7, the Conference Board reported on Tuesday. … READ MORE >
Fed’s gauges on wages and inflation seal the deal on another rate hike
The Federal Reserve’s key labor costs metric for the first quarter came in hotter than expected, helping to seal the deal on another rate hike in May, while raising the probability of another one in June. … READ MORE >
Jobless claims inch up while revised GDP shows softer growth
New filings for jobless benefits inched up to 198,000 last week from 191,000 earlier, staying below the pre-pandemic level, while fourth-quarter gross domestic product was revised down slightly from a 2.7% increase to 2.6%. … READ MORE >
Consumer sentiment fell in March, before the financial turmoil
Consumer sentiment for March dropped to 63.4 from 67 as consumers’ confidence in the current economic conditions and their expectations both worsened on the month, though the survey results did not reflect the recent turmoil in financial markets … READ MORE >
January’s spending shows a hot economy despite rate hikes
The Fed’s key gauge of inflation—the personal consumption expenditures deflator—rose by 0.6% on the month for both the top-line and the core numbers, bringing the year-over-year inflation to 5.4% and 4.7% for the two series, respectively. … READ MORE >
American consumers grow more cautious as spending falls
Personal spending fell by 0.2% in dollar terms in December and by 0.3% after adjusting for inflation, which rose by 0.1% on the month. … READ MORE >
Spending holds strong as inflation moderates in October
Spending rose by 0.8% in October while income increased by 0.7%. After adjusting for inflation, real spending rose by 0.5% and income was up by 0.4%. … READ MORE >