• March 22, 2018
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The Federal Reserve raised rates for a sixth time since the policymaking Federal Open Market Committee began raising rates off near-zero in December 2015. Chairman Jerome Powell will take questions after the rate-hike decision. Fed still expects 3 rate hikes this year, but will pick up the pace in 2019.

• March 17, 2018
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The US economy is experiencing healthy economic growth and a strong labor market. Combined those are increasing the risk of rising inflation and higher interest rates.  This could lead to reduced house-buying power.

• March 16, 2018
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U.S. consumer sentiment rose more the anticipated in the preliminary March reading.  The survey reaches a level not seen since 2004.  Optimistic mentions regarding recent tax reform legislation were weighed down, however, by negative views of steel and aluminum, the survey found.

• March 15, 2018
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Two gauges of manufacturing sentiment reflected continued solid activity in March, according to data released Thursday. The Philadelphia Fed manufacturing index slipped a bit to a reading of 22.3 in March from 25.8 in February. Economists had expected a a reading of 23. The Empire State Index, which had been lagging Philly, jumped to a

• March 14, 2018
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February Retail Sales came in lower than expected at -0.1% vs. estimates of 0.3%.  Retail Sales ex-Autos 0.2% vs. estimates of 0.4%.  February Headline PPI MOM 0.2% vs. estimates of 0.1%.  PPI YOY 2.8% vs. estimates of 2.8% Core (ex food and energy) PPI MOM 0.2% vs. estimates of 0.2%.  Core PPI YOY 2.5% vs.

• March 13, 2018
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The consumer price index rose 0.2 percent in February, in line with economists’ expectations. Inflation fears have been rattling markets, with investors concerned that accelerating price pressures could cause the Fed to raise interest rates more quickly than anticipated.

• March 9, 2018
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The economy added 313,000 jobs in February, crushing expectations, while the unemployment rate was 4.1 percent, according to a Labor Department report Friday that could help quell inflation fears. Economists surveyed had been expecting nonfarm payroll growth of 200,000 and the unemployment rate to decline one-tenth of a percent to 4 percent. A separate measure

• March 5, 2018
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Non-manufacturing activity was expected to decrease slightly in February. The measure jumped up in January, nearly matching the recent peak in October 2017 when the index touched the highest level since its debut in 2008.

• March 1, 2018
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Consumer spending in January rose a scant 0.2% as Americans cut back after the holidays. And spending fell for the first time in a year if adjusted for inflation, the government said Thursday. Economists polled had forecast a 0.3% increase in spending. At the same time, though, incomes rose 0.4% and after-tax incomes posted the

• February 28, 2018
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The housing recovery appears to be making a U-turn as mortgage rates rise amid a critically low supply of homes for sale. Pending home sales, which measure signed contracts, not closings, fell 4.7 percent in January compared to December, according to the National Association of Realtors. The weakness was nationwide, and December’s reading was also