Weakness appears in the labor market
Unemployment ticks up to 4.2%
November's headline jobs numbers marked the 47th consecutive month of positive job growth and showed a substantial recovery from the strike- and storm-impacted October report.
Consumers power forward into the holiday season
Incomes grow and a key measure of inflation accelerates
New data released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis before the Thanksgiving holiday showed that higher-than-expected income growth and lower energy prices bolstered consumer spend...
The struggle to contain inflation continues
But shoppers are not deterred
Overall inflation as measured by the consumer price index, or CPI, remains sticky, according to the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics report.
Elections have consequences
Stock markets jump, but interest rates offer little relief
Stock market indices reacted enthusiastically to President-elect Donald Trump’s electoral victory over Vice President Kamala Harris last week, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average...
Slowing jobs market sends mixed signals
Hurricanes, labor strife muddy the picture
No one thought interpreting the October jobs report would be simple after two hurricanes struck the southeast and as Boeing machinists continued their strike. But then, no one expe...
The housing market is unlikely to make the Fed’s job easier any time soon
Housing costs look to remain high in battle to tame inflation
With positive data on the health of the job market recently raising hopes for a soft landing, the Federal Reserve’s fight to tamp down on the last leg of inflation has come into fo...
Fretting over the labor market appears overdone
But surveys show caution ahead
After earlier reports showed the labor market continuing to slow amid restrictive financial conditions, the Federal Reserve decided it might be time to stop focusing on its fight a...
Incomes stay strong, and the technical recession that wasn't
Recent data show faster growth, healthier consumers than previously thought
The Commerce Department released revisions to past data last week that showed the economy grew more quickly in all but four quarters since the beginning of 2019. The revisions wipe...
The Fed makes a move. A soft landing comes into view.
Economy stays strong as inflation cools and unemployment remains low
The Federal Reserve's policymaking committee ended its eight-meeting pause last week and finally cut its target short-term interest rate, choosing a 50-basis-point cut.
High-income households are doing just fine, helped by higher asset prices. Lower-income consumers — not so much.
Sentiment diverges among American income groups
The health of the consumer is top of mind as the labor market weakens and recession fears emerge.
Weakening labor market raises the risk of a not-so-soft landing
New data shows fewer jobs added than initially estimated
August’s much-watched jobs report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics last week left the state of the economy up for interpretation.
Is That a Light We See at the End of the Tunnel?
Housing Market Prospects Pick Up
After a dismal spring and early-summer selling season, housing sales increased in July for the first time in five months.
Glum Consumers Turn to Retail Therapy
Sales Make Biggest Jump Since January Last Year
The University of Michigan’s index of consumer sentiment brightened in early August, rising from an eight-month low of 66.4 to 67.8. But the news might not be as positive as the he...
Fears of an Imminent Recession Appear Overstated, for Now
After Market Turmoil, New Forecasts Call for Higher Economic Growth
The combination of the Bank of Japan raising its policy interest rate, a weak U.S. jobs report showing higher unemployment and a downturn in a widely followed manufacturing survey ...
The Economy Begins To Show Signs of Exhaustion
Recession Fears Abound After Latest Jobs Report
Financial markets began tumbling last week and continued their fall early this week after the release of the July jobs report.
Federal Reserve Chairman Cues Up Rate Cuts To Come
Policymakers Stand Pat for Now As Capital Markets Stir
Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell said policymakers are getting closer to lowering interest rates, possibly as soon as September, if conditions warrant as policymakers wrapped...
Economic Growth Refuses To Quit
New Data Quells Fears of an Imminent Downturn
The economy grew at a robust rate in the second quarter, defying predictions that growth would slow as the Federal Reserve keeps interest rates in restrictive territory. The surpri...
Consumers Are Not Ready To Quit Spending Just Yet
Latest Retail Sales Figures Top Projections
Consumer resilience continues to play a large part in buoying the optimism of economists and their forecasts of the economy’s growth path.
Policies of Presidential Parties May Yield Similar Economic Results
But Some Forecast Long-Term Trends To Diverge
With the national political conventions underway or coming in a few weeks, some efforts have been made to understand how the policies promoted or planned by each party might affect...
Cooling Labor Market Brings Soft Landing in Sight
Unemployment Ticks Higher Even As Employers Add Jobs
The June employment report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics confirmed what is widely expected — a slowing labor market after two years of pandemic-related disruption.