Seasonal distortions caused a larger-than-expected decline in first-time jobless claims to 730,000 for the week ending Feb. 20, which significantly understates the true pace of first-time firings across the economy. We would urge policymakers to approach the decline with a grain of salt, which is ... READ MORE >
coronavirus
CHART OF THE DAY: ESG comes to financial services
As more and more companies adhere to environmental, social and governance practices, or ESG, financial services firms have started to fall under scrutiny for their practices. It marks a shift from the early days of ESG, when much of the attention was focused on industrial companies and environmental ... READ MORE >
CHART OF THE DAY: New home sales continue to rise
The demand for new homes continues to be high as Americans take advantage of low interest rates and flee cities in search of more room. Sales of new homes in January increased by 4.3% month over month, exceeding expectations and climbing to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 923,000, the Commerce ... READ MORE >
Pandemic highlights the need for better use of data among health care providers
The coronavirus pandemic has presented a host of challenges for health care providers as they have dealt with a significant downturn in their business. But now, as a vaccine is rolled out and providers prepare for the new normal of life after the pandemic, there are opportunities as well. One way ... READ MORE >
CHART OF THE DAY: Leading indicator points toward economic reflation
The Conference Board’s leading economic indicator continues to point toward a reflation of the economy from the shock of the pandemic. The board's Leading Economic Index, released on Monday, showed a monthly gain of 0.5% in January to 110.3, continuing a string of increases. We expect a 6.1% rate of ... READ MORE >
CHART OF THE DAY: State disparity in mental health preparedness
We may be dealing with the mental health after-effects of the pandemic long after we’ve reached herd immunity. According to the United States Census Bureau’s Household Pulse Survey, the average share of adults reporting symptoms of anxiety or depression increased to 41.1% in January. That is a nearly ... READ MORE >
CHART OF THE DAY: The 10-year Treasury yield goes its own way
The yield on 10-year Treasury bonds rose above 1.3% four times on Wednesday before closing just below 1.28%. The securities continued to trade in that range on Thursday. This comes despite the Federal Reserve’s efforts to suppress the cost of borrowing. Fixed-income investors are clearly pricing in a ... READ MORE >
U.S. industrial production growth continues
The Federal Reserve said on Wednesday that its index of industrial production, a measure of output at factories, mines and utilities, rose last month as output continued to recover from the depths of the economic shutdown last spring. Total production rose 0.9% in January, following an increase of 1.3% ... READ MORE >
Inflation-adjusted interest rates and investment in the future of Canada’s economy
A confluence of events and policy shifts has coalesced into a unique opportunity for the Canadian government and firms to make long-term strategic investments. The arrival of inflation-adjusted negative interest rates presents a rare chance for Canadian businesses to invest in their firms and ... READ MORE >
3 things to know this week in energy: Canada consolidation, oil prices, and tech invests in renewables
Major tech investment in renewable energy continues, freezing weather in the United States lifts oil prices up and Canada’s energy market sees another major consolidation announcement. Biweekly, we round up news and analysis about three things going on in the energy industry that we think you should ... READ MORE >