• December 13, 2017
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The consumer price index climbed 0.4% in November, matching the forecast. Three-quarters of the increase reflected higher gas prices. The so-called core rate of inflation that strips out food and energy rose a smaller 0.1%. The yearly rate of inflation as measured by the CPI rose to 2.2% from 2%. The more closely followed core

• December 13, 2017
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The producer price index in November surged 0.4% for the third straight month, matching the forecast. The increase was broad based. Another measure preferred by economists, known as core PPI, also rose a 0.4%. The core rate strips out food, energy and trade margins. The increase in the PPI pushed the 12-month rate of wholesale

• December 8, 2017
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UofM Prelim December Consumer Confidence 96.8 vs. estimates of 99.0.  A very strong reading but lighter than expected

• December 8, 2017
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Wholesale inventories in the U.S. fell 0.5% in October, the Commerce Department said Tuesday. Companies were not able to keep up with production owing to a combination of growing demand and supply disruptions caused by hurricanes in the prior month. Inventories are up 3.9% year over year, however. Wholesale sales jumped 0.7% in October. At

• December 8, 2017
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The jobs report will give the Federal Reserve a green light to continue to raise short-term interest rates next week, but the low wage inflation within the report may make central bankers more cautious next year, economists said. The Fed has signaled since September that it intends to raise rates in December and the market

• December 8, 2017
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The U.S. created 228,000 jobs in November in another sign the economy is running at full tilt. Economists had predicted a 200,000 increase in nonfarm jobs. The unemployment rate stayed the same at 4.1%. Wages rose 0.2%, or 5 cents, to an average of $26.55 an hour, the government said Friday. Worker pay increased 2.5%

• December 7, 2017
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The Federal Housing Administration announced Thursday that nearly every area of the U.S. will see FHA loan limits increase in 2018. Click the headline to read more about the new loan limits, which will take effect for FHA case numbers assigned on or after Jan. 1, 2018.

• December 7, 2017
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As expected, the Senate Banking Committee overwhelmingly approved Jerome Powell Tuesday to lead the Federal Reserve. All the panel’s Republican and Democrat members voted for Powell except one single Democrat, and now, this bipartisan support all but seals Powell’s future as Federal Reserve Chair.

• December 7, 2017
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• December 6, 2017
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The increase in productivity of American firms and workers was unchanged at 3% in the third quarter under the government’s first do-over of its original report. Economists had expected productivity to be reset at 3.3%.