New filings for jobless claims rose unexpectedly last week because of large jumps in Missouri and Ohio. New claims advanced to 248,000 from an upwardly revised 225,000 the week before. … READ MORE >
Covid-19
Chart of the day: U.S. industrial production rebounds
A colder-than-normal January pushed industrial production up significantly as utility production rose 9.9% on the month—the highest rate on record. … READ MORE >
Retail sales outpace inflation in January despite omicron surge
Inflation and the omicron surge did not deter American consumers from beginning the year on a strong note as retail sales rebounded sharply in January. Purchases at retail stores, restaurants and online rose 3.8%, outstripping inflation for the first time in three months. … READ MORE >
Energy shock: Potential impact of Russian invasion of Ukraine
A Russian invasion of Ukraine would shave a little less than 1% from gross domestic product over the next year and cause inflation to rise by close to 2.8 percentage points to over 10%. … READ MORE >
Protests’ ramifications on the Canadian economy
The trucker convoy has shuttered the Canadian economy, with consequences reaching far beyond cross-border trade and encompassing the supply chain, inflation, the labor market and economic growth. … READ MORE >
U.S. January consumer price index: Inflation continues to surge
The top-line increase of 0.6% in January and 7.5% on a year-ago basis will intensify market speculation about a 50 basis-point hike at the March meeting. … READ MORE >
Chart of the day: New jobless claims continue to fall
New filings for jobless benefits dropped by 16,000 to 223,000 for the week ending Feb. 5 on a seasonally adjusted basis, only 5,000 from reaching its pre-pandemic level of 218,000. … READ MORE >
Canada’s unemployment rate rises as omicron spreads
Canada lost 200,000 jobs in January as the omicron variant led to tightened restrictions across the country, according to data released by Statistics Canada on Friday. … READ MORE >
U.S. January jobs report shows strong gains and significant upward revisions
The net increase of 467,000 in total employment on the back of a significant upward revision to the December estimate, from a gain of 199,000 to 510,000, affirms what the household survey has implied for the past two months: The U.S. economy is quickly approaching full employment. … READ MORE >
Chart of the day: Jobless claims fall as omicron crests
Initial jobless claims dropped to 238,000 on a seasonally adjusted basis for the week ending Jan. 29, a decline of 23,000 from a week earlier. … READ MORE >