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The unemployment rate in the U.S. is on its way to below 4 percent, a level that Dallas Fed President Robert Kaplan believes is an “overshoot” of full employment and a potential danger sign for the economy. Consequently, he thinks the central ought to keep raising rates, at least three times this year, as a
READ MOREThe consumer price index rose 0.1% in December, with four-fifths of the increase tied to the highest cost of housing. The increase matched the forecast. If gas and food are stripped out, the so-called core rate of inflation rose a much sharper 0.3%, a notch above the forecast and the highest reading in almost a
READ MORESales at U.S. retailers rose 0.4% in December to mark the fourth straight gain. The increase was a notch below the forecast of 0.5%, but sales for November and October were both revised higher. Excluding autos and gasoline, retail sales also rose 0.4% last month. The consumer price index, meanwhile, rose 0.1% in December, with
READ MOREU.S. wholesale prices rose in 2017 at the fastest pace in six years, a buildup in inflation that could push the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates more aggressively unless it lets up. The producer price index increased 2.6% last year, even after a small decline in December. The PPI dipped 0.1% last month. The
READ MOREInitial U.S. jobless claims, a tool to measure layoffs, climbed by 11,000 to a nearly four-month high of 261,000 in the seven days ended Jan. 6. That’s the highest level since mid-September and well above the 248,000 forecast of economists. The more stable monthly average of claims increased by 9,000 to 250,750, the government said
READ MOREThe euro leapt against major rivals Thursday, following the release of minutes from the European Central Bank’s December meeting that showed the central bank could shift away from its ultra-loose monetary policy efforts this year. “The language pertaining to various dimensions of the monetary policy stance and forward guidance could be revisited early in the
READ MOREAfter a big oil-inspired increase in November, import prices rose a scant 0.1% in the final month of 2017. Minus energy import prices fell 0.1% For the full year, import prices rose 3% to mark the biggest increase since 2011. Although that’s much higher than the 1.9% gain in 2016, it still reflects a generally
READ MOREFirst Japan, and now China, is getting markets notably the bond world stirred up. Bonds are the topic du jour, especially after the Bank of Japan got everyone a bit worked up yesterday by trimming its government bond purchases. Then this morning, Bloomberg reported China is considering cutting back on its U.S. Treasury holdings. Timing
READ MOREThe Bank of Japan’s decision Tuesday to reduce the amounts of government bonds it buys as part of its quantitative easing efforts sent the yen and Japanese bond yields higher. But analysts warned investors not to get ahead of themselves, calling the move more of a technicality than a tapering. The central bank cut its
READ MOREThe U.S. trade deficit widened 3.2% in November to $50.5 billion, the highest trade gap since January 2012. Economists polled had forecast a $50 billion gap. Imports rose 2.5% to $250.7 billion, the Commerce Department said Friday. Exports rose 2.3% to $200.2 billion. Year-to-date, the deficit is up 11.6% from the same period in 2016.
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