Hedge funds are faring well after years of lackluster results, but the returns have not been uniformly strong. A closer look at the returns shows a range of results within strategies and even substrategies. For example, data from Hedge Fund Research’s subindices show that returns for the equity hedge ... READ MORE >
coronavirus
CHART OF THE DAY: Anticipation of pandemic demand for single-family homes
Even as millions of workers struggle amid the pandemic-induced downturn, certain sectors of the economy have emerged as beneficiaries from changing consumer behavior. Chief among these have been those companies that provide suburban housing to city dwellers looking for more room to live and work. In ... READ MORE >
RSM Monthly Index of Economic Activity shows an economy struggling to make up lost ground
We anticipate that gross domestic product in the Unites States will rebound at a 33.5% growth rate in the third quarter and 2.75% in the fourth quarter. While this may seem optimistic, it masks the significant output gap that currently exists, and will exist, following the publication of the U.S. ... READ MORE >
There is no cooling the housing market as homebuilder confidence surges
The U.S. homebuilder confidence index continues to reach new heights, rising to 85 in October, according to data from the National Association of Home Builders released on Monday. The reading was stronger than the median forecast of 83, marking the sixth straight month that the index has exceeded the ... READ MORE >
The search for a safe and effective coronavirus vaccine
Regardless of race, religion or socioeconomic status, one thing most, if not all, Americans can agree on is that we are tired of the pandemic and the economic, health and political fallout we have collectively experienced from it. And while there may be disagreement about the best way to approach the ... READ MORE >
CHART OF THE DAY: A shifting holiday spending calendar
Retailer expectations about the start of the holiday spending season appear to have shifted earlier. About half of the retailers surveyed by the National Retail Federation said they anticipated that consumers have already started their holiday spending in October, while 62% of retailers said they expected ... READ MORE >
Holiday sales to limp forward as pandemic weighs on economy
Holiday spending is likely to advance at a tepid 0.5% pace as households still reeling from the pandemic pull back on traditional and experiential holiday outlays. This forecast is optimistic compared to the 4.6% decline in 2008, the last holiday season that took place during a recession. And it is ... READ MORE >
Agriculture sector gets a reprieve with rising foodstuff prices
Foodstuff commodity prices have recovered lost ground, returning to January levels after five straight months of declines from March to July, according to an analysis of Commodity Research Bureau data. The drop in prices during the height of the pandemic shutdown is attributed to the sudden drop in demand ... READ MORE >
CHART OF THE DAY: Retail sales surge, but for how long?
Consumers opened their wallets in September as retail sales showed unexpected strength, rising by 1.9% over August for the fifth straight monthly gain, the Commerce Department reported on Friday. Analysts surveyed by Bloomberg had expected a gain of 0.8% after the 0.6% increase in August. But this ... READ MORE >
CHART OF THE DAY: Rising optimism among small businesses
The small business optimism index rose 3.8 points to 104 in September, the highest reading since February, according to a report by the National Federation of Independent Business. The index includes data on plans for hiring and capital outlays, and expectations for the economy to improve. In a ... READ MORE >