The intense debate over whether there needs to be a large fiscal stimulus package was supplemented by a weak U.S. employment report for January that saw an anemic gain of 49,000 jobs while 406,000 people exited the workforce. That exodus of workers was the primary catalyst for a decline in the ... READ MORE >
coronavirus
CHART OF THE DAY: An impending end to the trade downdraft
Activity at U.S. seaports indicates recovering domestic and international economies at the end of last year. Though tapering off a bit in December, loaded import containers processed grew by an average of 20% in the fourth quarter. And export activity -- which is still worrisome in terms of global ... READ MORE >
Initial jobless claims declined to a still-elevated 779,000
First-time claims for jobless benefits declined to a still-elevated 779,000 for the week ending Jan. 30, while continuing claims dropped to 4.592 million for the previous week, the Labor Department reported on Thursday. This is the third consecutive weekly decline and most likely reflects an ebbing in ... READ MORE >
CHART OF THE DAY: Service sector survey shows strength in January
A measurement of the services side of the economy rose to its highest level since well before the pandemic in January, another indication that the economy is poised for a recovery. The Institute for Supply Management said on Wednesday that its nonmanufacturing purchasing managers’ index came in at 58.7 ... READ MORE >
How to bridge the output gap and return the economy to full employment
Negotiations between the Biden administration and the GOP minority in the Senate reveal strengths and shortcomings in their policy preferences and objectives about how to promote an economic recovery. Through it all, estimates of the domestic output gap – the difference between actual and potential ... READ MORE >
Employment report preview: Policy implications paramount following January data
We expect that the December employment downturn will be a one-month occurrence and that the January data, to be released Friday, will show a gain of 190,000 jobs and a decline in the unemployment rate to 6.6%. It is almost certain that the Labor Department's report will have a larger impact on ... READ MORE >
CHART OF THE DAY: Health care sector rides the SPAC wave
Amid the recent gyrations in the equity markets, special purpose acquisition companies, better known as SPACs, have continued to gain favor, particularly among retail investors flush with savings. And in the middle of this frenzy is the health care sector. Also known as blank-check companies, SPACs ... READ MORE >
Bank of England: Deteriorating economic outlook and negative interest rates
The Bank of England at its meeting on Thursday is expected to keep its policy matrix unchanged as it downgrades its economic outlook and publishes its view on the use of negative interest rates. We expect the central bank to keep its policy rate at 0.1% and the total asset purchase program -- an ... READ MORE >
Reeling from the pandemic, hospitality industry struggles to adapt
(This is the first of three articles examining how the pandemic is affecting the hospitality industry.) If there was any sign of the hospitality industry’s rapid change amid the continuing fallout from the coronavirus pandemic, look no further than the recent debut of home rental portal Airbnb in the ... READ MORE >
Coronavirus update: The post-holiday surge eases
January was the worst month of the pandemic, with nearly 98,000 U.S. deaths attributed to COVID-19. That surge came as no surprise to many in the public health community who predicted such an increase after family and friends gathered during the holidays. At the peak of the recent surge, more than a ... READ MORE >