Sales of new homes have continued to reach new heights, increasing by 4.8% to a seasonally adjusted rate of a little more than 1 million for August – the first time they had eclipsed that mark since 2006. … READ MORE >
coronavirus
Initial jobless claims: No meaningful improvement in the pace of firings
Initial jobless claims for the week ending Sept. 19 arrived at 870,000, up from 860,000 during the previous week, the Labor Department reported on Thursday. … READ MORE >
CHART OF THE DAY: Resurgence of pandemic in the U.K.
The sharp sell-off across financial markets on Monday is linked to fears about a global resurgence of the pandemic. Nowhere is that more evident than in the U.K. … READ MORE >
CHART OF THE DAY: Consumer sentiment continues its climb back
The index of U.S. consumer sentiment index continued to climb back from the depths of the economic shutdown in April, the University of Michigan reported Friday. … READ MORE >
Tracking the spread of COVID-19: A resurgent virus, and a grim milestone
Following a late-summer lull in the coronavirus pandemic, the rate of infections has resumed its increase in the United States and is poised to intensify in the coming weeks, RSM’s modeling shows. … READ MORE >
CHART OF THE DAY: Housing starts decline 5.1%
Housing starts declined 5.1% month over month in August, while forward-looking building permits held steady with a slight decline of .9%, the Commerce Department reported on Thursday. … READ MORE >
Initial jobless claims remain elevated at 860,000
The pace of firings in the economy remains well above anything observed during the Great Financial Crisis as 860,000 workers filed for first-time jobless claims for the week ending Sept. 12, a reflection of the deep scarring in the domestic labor market and economy. … READ MORE >
Monetary policy and inflation in the modern era
By adopting a flexible average inflation target, the Fed is using its most important tool — forward guidance – to infuse confidence in investors and the general public that it will do all it can to sustain the economic recovery needed in the wake of the coronavirus. … READ MORE >
CHART OF THE DAY: Retail sales rise amid soft back-to-school spending
Retail sales grew for the fourth month in a row in August, but the expected lift from back-to-school spending was not as great as anticipated. … READ MORE >
Tracking the spread of COVID-19: A summer so foul
There have been more than 6.7 million cases of coronavirus infections and more than 198,000 deaths, according to the WorldoMeters database. Despite improvement in recent weeks, the rate of infections remains elevated heading into the fall. … READ MORE >