Category: Business & Markets

• June 30, 2017
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The meager increase in spending took place against a backdrop of slowing inflation. The PCE index, the Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation gauge, fell 0.1% to mark the second decline in three months. What’s more, the 12-month rate of inflation tapered off to 1.4% in May from 1.7% in the prior month and a five-year high

• June 30, 2017
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The Chicago Purchasing Managers Index was at 65.7 in the month, blowing past economists’ estimates. Economists polled had expected a reading of 58.0, down from the 59.4 reading reported a month earlier. A reading above 50.0 indicates expansion in the economy.

• May 26, 2017
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Orders for long-lasting goods such as planes and appliances fell in April for the first time in five months, suggesting that a resurgent U.S. manufacturing industry has cooled off a bit. Durable-goods orders dropped 0.7% last month amid weakness in most key segments of heavy industry. The decline follows four straight increases, including a revised

• July 3, 2017
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June ISM Manufacturing 57.8 vs. estimates of 55.2. Treasury yields ticked lower, but market activity was muted overall, as the July 4th weekend left trading desks lightly staffed. The Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association recommends bond markets to close early at 2 PM Eastern on Monday.

• May 26, 2017
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Turns out the U.S. economy wasn’t totally asleep in the first three months of 2017: the government raised the growth rate to 1.2% from its original 0.7% estimate.

• July 5, 2017
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Nationally, prices rose 6.6% compared to a year ago, according to a home price index released Wednesday from data provider CoreLogic. Prices rose 1.2% from April to May, the company also said. While that’s helping current owners, “for renters and potential first-time homebuyers, it is not such a pretty picture.

• May 26, 2017
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Consumer sentiment ticked up fractionally in May as Americans grew more optimistic about economic growth – but more pessimistic about current conditions. The University of Michigan’s closely-watched confidence tracker rose to 97.1 from 97.0 in April. It had touched 97.7 in a mid-May reading, and economists surveyed expected no change from that reading for the

• July 5, 2017
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The Federal Reserve could trigger a long-awaited move to reduce its massive $4.5 trillion in debt holdings by September, a summary of the central bank’s last meeting suggest.

• May 30, 2017
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Spending jumps 0.4%; inflationary pressures wane. Aided by rising incomes and tax refunds, Americans boosted spending in April at the fastest clip since the end of 2016 in another sign the economy has speeded up during the spring. Lower inflation that reflects falling oil prices also gave households an extra cushion.

• May 30, 2017
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The smallest annual increase of any of the 20 cities is still about double the rate of inflation. The S&P/Case-Shiller 20-city index rose 5.9% compared to a year ago in the three-month period ending in March, a tick higher than the 5.8% gain economists expected. That was the strongest annual price gain since July 2014.