Retail sales and producer inflation data came in lower than expected in December, giving the Federal Reserve more reasons to begin to slow down its rate hikes. … READ MORE >
Tuan Nguyen
Canada job gains top forecast, complicating decision on rates
The Canadian labour market added 104,000 net jobs in December, significantly higher than the forecast of 5,000. … READ MORE >
Canada inflation eases, but the fight is not over
November’s headline consumer price index in Canada dropped to a 6.8% increase from 6.9% on a year-ago basis, remaining significantly above the 2% target rate. … READ MORE >
Housing starts and permits fall as the correction continues
New housing starts dropped for the third month in a row in November as the housing market continued to be in correction mode. … READ MORE >
Retail sales fall more than expected as spending and inflation cool
Retail sales in November posted the sharpest decline of the year, falling by 0.6% as shoppers pulled back from holiday spending. … READ MORE >
Producer price inflation hotter than expected ahead of Fed’s meeting
The producer price index for final demand rose by 0.3% in November and by 7.4% year-over-year, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported on Friday. … READ MORE >
Jobless claims show an uptick in layoffs
New filings for jobless claims inched up by 1.8% last week to 230,000, remaining above the pre-pandemic level for the fifth week in a row. … READ MORE >
U.S. service sector grows, adding pressure on Fed
The Institute for Supply Management’s service index rose in November as business activities increased on the month. … READ MORE >
Manufacturing sector nears contraction
The ISM’s manufacturing index slowed to 49%, barely above the contraction threshold at 48.7%. It was the third straight decline as demand for manufactured goods stalled. … READ MORE >
Spending holds strong as inflation moderates in October
Spending rose by 0.8% in October while income increased by 0.7%. After adjusting for inflation, real spending rose by 0.5% and income was up by 0.4%. … READ MORE >