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 >
omicron variant
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 >
How construction firms can manage a fractured supply chain
Contractors are telling us that their biggest challenge is getting materials to job sites for installation. Items like structural steel joints, windows and door frames that used to take a couple of days to deliver are now taking months to arrive. … READ MORE >
Canada runs a trade deficit as imports surge
Canada’s merchandise trade balance in December turned deficit after six consecutive monthly surpluses as imports of consumer goods surged and oil prices dropped. … 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 >