Category Archives: Economic News

(+) The highest-profile economic release of the week, May retail sales, were a bit higher than expected with a gain of +0.6% versus a forecasted +0.4% (including seasonal adjustments that first lowered April retail sales from +0.5%, to -0.1%, then … Continue reading →

On June 3rd, 2013 Lord Abbett posted a great article that was referencing “Why Bondholders May Not Need Worry.” https://www.lordabbett.com/advisor/commentary/marketview/great-rotation-why-bondholders-may-not-need-to-worry/ This was a great article that shows that although May was a difficult month for bonds the average investor still … Continue reading →

(-) The ISM Manufacturing report came in a bit weaker than expected, falling from April’s 50.7 to 49.0 for May, compared to the 51.0 level anticipated and pushing the measure to its lowest level in three years.  Weaker underlying components … Continue reading →

The end of the Bull Market is being declared by many experts.  In the upper chart in December of 1982 the 10 year treasury was 16%.  The 10 year treasury was 1.65 earlier this year and is currently around 2.20%.   … Continue reading →

In a shortened holiday week, only a few memorable economic releases were featured. (-) Consumer spending for April was weaker than expected, falling -0.2% versus an anticipated flat reading and March growth was revised downward a tenth.  Sales as gas … Continue reading →

Labor Markets (+) The initial jobless claims number after seasonal adjustment was 340,000 in the week ending May 18, slightly lower than the expected 345,000.  Filing for first-time unemployment insurance benefits fell by 31,000 compared to the same time last … Continue reading →

  May’s Conference Board Consumer Confidence report is the latest piece of data to suggest that recent months have seen a significant strengthening of the US economic cycle and we are unsurprised that the strong rebound in housing, together with … Continue reading →

Economic Update (+) Retail sales came in quite a bit better than expected for April, with a slight gain of +0.1% for the month relative to a forecasted decline of -0.3%.  In addition, February and March sales were revised upward … Continue reading →

So much economic data was packed into the previous week, last week appeared quite light by comparison. (+) The Federal Reserve’s Senior Loan Officer Opinion Survey, which polls 68 U.S. banks and 21 domestic branches of foreign banks, has tended … Continue reading →

It was a busy week from an economic standpoint. (+) The ISM index for April was a bit better than expected, despite a decline from March’s 51.3 to 50.7 (consensus called for 50.5).  The employment component fell 4 points; however, … Continue reading →

  April’s Non-Farm Payroll report is a solid set of data that should go a long way to correcting the unnecessary angst caused by the March report, not least since that month’s data has now been revised up strongly from … Continue reading →