The headline consumer sentiment index rose to 70.4 on the month from 67.4 previously, and only 0.1 higher than August when the delta variant’s surge hit the United States. … READ MORE >
pandemic
U.S. Consumer Price Index: Inflation broadens out as shelter costs rise by 4.8%
The overall Consumer Price Index climbed by 6.8% on a year-ago basis in November, and by 0.8% on the month as inflation continued to broaden out. … READ MORE >
Initial jobless claims fall to 52-year low amid labor shortages
Initial claims for jobless benefits fell to 184,000 for the week ending Dec. 4, down from 227,000 in the previous week, according to Labor Department data released on Thursday. … READ MORE >
Chart of the day: Job openings rise to second highest on record as quit rate slowed
Job openings, a proxy for labor demand, reached 11.03 million, exceeding 11 million for the second time on record, slightly lower than the all-time high set in July. … READ MORE >
Bank of Canada decision: Central bankers set the stage for 2022 rate hikes
The Bank of Canada kept its policy rate at 0.25% at its December meeting on Wednesday as it prepares the public and market participants for the normalization of monetary policy and the first increase in interest rates next year. … READ MORE >
Chart of the day: U.S. trade deficit improved significantly in October
The U.S. trade deficit posted a sharp decline in October to $67.1 billion from the record $81.4 billion in September, according to data released by the U.S. Census Bureau on Tuesday. … READ MORE >
Canada’s trade surplus grew in October, fueled by autos and energy
Canada’s merchandise trade surplus widened to CAD $2.1 billion in October—a 10-year high—as exports of motor vehicles and parts as well as energy surged. … READ MORE >
Our economic outlook for Canada in 2022
We see a Canadian economy growing around 4% on the year, inflation hitting 5% before easing to 2% by year’s end, and the unemployment rate declining to just above 6%. … READ MORE >
Chart of the day: Service sector expands at record pace
The shift back to spending on services continued to accelerate in November as the headline purchasing managers’ index for services reached an all-time high, according to data released by the Institute of Supply Management on Friday. … READ MORE >
Canada’s unemployment rate approaches pre-pandemic level
Canada added 153,700 jobs in November, bringing the unemployment rate down to 6% and approaching the pre-pandemic level, according to data released by Statistics Canada on Friday. … READ MORE >