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Weekly Economic Update - 5.20.13

Wednesday, 22 May 2013 13:05 |

SUBDUED INFLATION IN APRIL

Consumer and producer prices retreated last month. The federal government’s Consumer Price Index fell 0.4%, a monthly descent unseen since December 2008; the Producer Price Index declined 0.7%, its biggest monthly drop in three years.

Weekly Economic Update - 5.13.13

Monday, 13 May 2013 15:28 |

HOW IS THIS EARNINGS SEASON TURNING OUT?

At the closing bell on May 10, 90% of S&P 500 firms had reported quarterly results. According to Reuters, 67% of them have surpassed earnings forecasts and 24% have fallen short of projections. Should the remaining 50 components report results matching estimates, earnings will be up 5.3% on last year.

Weekly Economic Update - 5.6.13

Monday, 06 May 2013 18:39 |

UNEMPLOYMENT EDGES DOWN TO 7.5%

April brought a rebound in hiring. Employers added 165,000 jobs, and so the unemployment rate reached a four-year low. (The Labor Department also revised March’s job gains upward to 138,000.) Payrolls have now expanded by an average of 189,000 jobs a month during the last six months.¹

Weekly Economic Update - 4.29.13

Monday, 29 April 2013 16:44 |

Q1 GDP COMES IN AT 2.5%

The initial estimate of first quarter growth from the Bureau of Economic Analysis disappointed some analysts who had expected 3% expansion or better.

Weekly Economic Update - 4.22.13

Monday, 22 April 2013 19:57 |

INFLATION DECLINES

Consumer prices retreated 0.2% in March as fuel costs fell, a sea change from the 0.7% rise in the Consumer Price Index seen in February.

Weekly Economic Update - 4.15.13

Tuesday, 16 April 2013 11:41 |

HOUSEHOLDS BOUGHT LESS LAST MONTH

Retail sales were down 0.4% in March, according to the Commerce Department. This unanticipated dip was the deepest retreat in nine months. Even with volatile car and truck sales factored out, the March decline remained 0.4%.¹

Quarterly Economic Update - 1Q 2013

Tuesday, 09 April 2013 11:55 |

THE QUARTER IN BRIEF
Wall Street’s bulls figured stocks were ready for a breakout in 2013, and that is exactly what happened in the first quarter. The Dow finished March at 14,578.54, its highest close ever. The S&P 500 ended the quarter with a record close: 1,569.19.

Weekly Economic Update - 4.8.13

Monday, 08 April 2013 19:38 |

JUST 88,000 NEW JOBS?

In the wake of the Labor Department’s disappointing March employment report, puzzled analysts tried to figure out the reasons for such poor job growth. Did businesses fear the impact of the federal budget cuts in March and scale back hiring?

Weekly Economic Update - 4.1.13

Wednesday, 03 April 2013 19:34 |

SOLID GAINS IN HOUSEHOLD SPENDING, INCOME

According to the latest Commerce Department report, household spending was up 0.7% in February (the largest gain in five months) while consumer incomes jumped 1.1%. February’s 35-cent climb in gasoline prices influenced the first number, while an 11.9% surge in dividends influenced the second.

Weekly Economic Update - 3.25.13

Monday, 25 March 2013 18:19 |

WINTER DOESN’T DETER HOMEBUYERS

According to the National Association of Realtors, existing home sales rose 0.8% in February. The sales pace hit 4.98 million units, a 39-month high. The inventory of homes for sale increased 9.6% last month, recovering from a six-and-a-half-year low reached the month before.