• July 6, 2018
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The U.S. created 213,000 new jobs in June, another hearty gain that shows companies are finding ways to fill open jobs despite a dwindling pool of skilled workers. The gain in hiring topped the 200,000 forecast of economists polled. In a surprise, the unemployment rate rose to 4% from 3.8%, the Labor Department said Friday.

• June 14, 2018
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The European Central Bank on Thursday laid out plans to taper its program of monthly bond purchases later this year, aiming to bring them to a halt by the end of 2018. At the same time, the ECB pledged to keep interest rates at present, ultra-low levels at least through next summer. “The ECB’s announcement

• June 14, 2018
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Sales at retail stores surged in May, but the increase was a double-edged sword. Americans are spending more because of a strong economy, but rising inflation also means they have to pay more for gas and other staples. Retail sales nationwide jumped by 0.8% last month, twice as high as the forecast. Sales growth in

• June 13, 2018
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The Fed is teeing up another interest rate hike as the two-day meeting wraps up on Wednesday. The benchmark federal-funds rate would rise to a range between 1.75% and 2%. That would be at a level similar or above where it was from late 2001 to 2004. Investors will be paying attention to the Fed

• May 4, 2018
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The unemployment rate fell to 3.9 percent in April, an 18-year low, even as nonfarm payrolls rose by just 164,000, according to a report Friday from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Economists had expected payroll growth of 192,000 and the jobless rate to drop by one-tenth of a percent to 4.0 percent. The official jobs

• May 3, 2018
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The productivity of American businesses rose 0.7% in the first quarter, but there’s little sign of long-term improvement in what’s been a weak link for the U.S. economy. Output — or goods and services produced — increased 2.8%. Hours worked rose 2.1%. Productivity is determined by the difference between the two. The cost of labor,

• May 2, 2018
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On Wednesday, the U.S. central bank released its latest policy statement, maintaining a target benchmark interest rate range of 1.5%-1.75%. Wall Street had expected the Fed would make no changes to its interest rate policy on Wednesday after raising rates in March for the sixth time since the financial crisis. Wednesday’s announcement was not accompanied

• April 30, 2018
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The PCE index, the Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation gauge, rose to 2% year over year from a 1.7% pace in February, hitting the central bank’s target for the first time in a year. The 12-month increase in the more closely followed core rate of inflation was close behind, rising to 1.9% in March from 1.6%

• April 30, 2018
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The economics calendar will bring us the monthly jobs report, which should show the U.S. economy continues to create jobs in the 10th year of the economic recovery. Economists expect the economy added 185,000 jobs in April, a rebound from March’s disappointing headline jobs gain while the unemployment rate is expected to drop to 4% after

• April 27, 2018
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U.S. economic growth cooled last quarter as consumers pulled back following outsize spending in the prior period, though solid business investment cushioned some of the weakness. Gross domestic product, the value of all goods and services produced in the nation, rose at a 2.3 percent annualized rate after climbing 2.9 percent in the prior quarter,