A rapid decline in inflation amid robust hiring and an unemployment rate that stands at 3.6% despite a steep rise in interest rates underscore a resilient American economy that refuses to go gently into that good night. … READ MORE >
interest rates
Consumer sentiment highest in nearly two years
Consumer sentiment jumped to its highest level since September 2021 on the heels of continuing disinflation and an improved view of household finances, according to the University of Michigan’s survey on Friday. … READ MORE >
Job and producer inflation data raises soft-landing hope
Data on jobless claims and producer inflation came in lower than forecast on Thursday, giving mixed signals on the Federal Reserve’s rate trajectory. … READ MORE >
Inflation slows to 3% in June but the Fed’s work is not done
The 3% year-ago increase in the consumer price index reported by the Labor Department on Wednesday is down from a peak of 9.1% in June 2022. … READ MORE >
U.S. employment report: Strong gains continue in June
A remarkable run of monthly job gains continued in June as the economy generated 209,000 new jobs and the unemployment rate fell to 3.6%. … READ MORE >
Strong economic data signals another rate hike in July
A series of economic reports released on Thursday showed a much more resilient economy than expected heading into a crucial period when the Federal Reserve is on the verge of hiking interest rates again. … READ MORE >
Spending and inflation cool in May
Inflation continued to decelerate in May as the Federal Reserve’s key pricing metric—the personal consumption expenditures index—grew by only 3.8% from a year ago, the lowest level in more than two years. … READ MORE >
June jobs preview: Low unemployment shows a rapidly evolving labor market
We expect this strength to continue when the June employment report is released next Friday. Our provisional forecast implies a net gain of 225,000 jobs and an unemployment rate of 3.7%. … READ MORE >
U.S. economy was a lot stronger in first quarter, final GDP estimate shows
The third and final estimate of gross domestic product showed a drastic upward revision to a 2.0% gain from 1.3% on a quarterly and annualized basis. … READ MORE >
Is the economy headed for a recession? Jobless claims are saying yes.
Despite the labor market’s resilience and persistently low claims compared to historical norms, the steady increases in claims since late last year are ringing alarm bells. … READ MORE >