The manufacturing purchasing managers’ index rose to 47.6 in August, up from 46.4, but remained under the 48.7 that is considered neither an expansion or contraction. … READ MORE >
Tuan Nguyen
Job openings drop to lowest in more than two years
Job openings fell to 8.8 million in July, staying under 9 million for the first time since March 2021, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics on Tuesday. … READ MORE >
Business investment loses momentum in July
Orders for capital goods that exclude defense and aircraft—a proxy for future business spending—rose by 0.1% on the month. That followed a downward revision in June that reduced a 0.1% gain to a 0.4% decline. … READ MORE >
New home sales remain bright spot in housing, rising on strong supply
Sales of new homes increased by 4.4% in July to 714,000, according to Commerce Department data released on Wednesday. … READ MORE >
Existing home sales fall near January low as rates surge
July sales were much lower than expected, dropping by 2.2% on the month compared to a forecasted decline of only 0.2% earlier. … READ MORE >
Near-target inflation fuels hope of soft landing for economy
Inflation stabilized further in July as the consumer price index data met expectations, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported on Thursday.
The slight uptick in annual inflation to 3.2% from 3.0% could be dismissed due to the base year effect, as inflation has come down fast from a peak in June last year. … READ MORE >
Service sector growth eases in July
The Institute for Supply Management’s index for services inched down to 52.7 in July from 53.9 in June, indicating expansion for the seventh straight month. … READ MORE >
New data points to further economic slowdown and disinflation
Job openings fell to 9.58 million in June, the lowest since April 2021, according to government data released on Tuesday. … READ MORE >
Business orders for equipment rise despite higher borrowing costs
New orders for core capital goods, a proxy for business investment, came in higher than forecast in June, rising by 0.2%, the Commerce Department reported on Thursday. … READ MORE >
Housing starts and permits drop in June as rates surge
New residential starts fell by 8% on the month, while permits for new buildings declined by 3.7%, the Commerce Department reported on Wednesday. … READ MORE >