Once the seasonal factors in January’s data faded away, overall spending at retail stores, restaurants and online remained solid as consumers continued to benefit from a strong labor market and growing incomes. … READ MORE >
interest rates
FOMC preview: A status quo meeting
We anticipate that the Federal Open Market Committee meeting on March 19 and 20 will maintain the status quo in its policies. … READ MORE >
February consumer price index: Sticky yet under control
Inflation remains below wage growth as real hourly wages increased by 1.1% on the month and on a year-ago basis. … READ MORE >
Canada’s jobs report offers mixed messages on rates
The economy added 40,700 jobs, exceeding expectations and a sign of remaining steam that could keep the economy afloat for a few more months. … READ MORE >
U.S. employment report: Robust hiring continued in February
Sustained demand for labor in the American economy was on vivid display on Friday as the Labor Department reported that 275,000 jobs were created in February. … READ MORE >
Bank of Canada maintains interest rate at 5%
The Bank of Canada kept its policy rate unchanged at 5% for the fifth time in a row as it continued to wait for inflation to further moderate. … READ MORE >
Job openings inch down as economy stays on track for a soft landing
Job openings cooled in back-to-back months to 8.86 million in January with December’s figure revised down to 8.89 million from 9.03 million previously, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. … READ MORE >
January inflation and spending data implies more noise than trend
The Federal Reserve’s closely watched measure of inflation, the personal consumption expenditures index, continued to show strength in January, rising by 0.3% on the month and by 2.4% from a year ago. … READ MORE >
Canada’s inflation excluding shelter hit target in January
Canada’s consumer price index dropped to 2.9% in January, led by lower year-over-year figures in gasoline prices. On a monthly basis, prices stayed flat. … READ MORE >
Geopolitical tensions and risks to the inflation outlook
Just as inflation appeared to be coming under control in recent months, rising tensions in the Middle East have shaken this view and now represent the major risk to our economic and inflation outlooks. … READ MORE >