• July 12, 2017
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Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen said Wednesday, in prepared remarks to be given before Congress, the current pace of U.S. job growth is enough to expand the labor force.

• July 12, 2017
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The Bank of Canada, as expected, raised its overnight interest rate by a quarter of a percentage point to 0.75% on Wednesday. This was the first rate hike in seven years, making the Bank of Canada the first major central bank to join the Federal Reserve in raising rates. The Bank of Canada’s decision was

• July 11, 2017
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Ever since the Federal Reserve adopted an explicit inflation target of 2% in 2012, the central bank has had limited success in hitting it. Only once, in fact, in the months between April 2012 and today, did the year-over-year increase in the personal consumption expenditures (PCE) price index breach 2%.

• July 11, 2017
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Small-business sentiment fell again in June as business owners grew increasingly frustrated with Washington gridlock. The monthly sentiment tracker from the National Federation of Independent Business ticked down 0.9 points to 103.6, the fifth-straight month of declines or unchanged readings. The index now sits halfway between its pre-election reading of 98.4, and 105.8, the level

• July 11, 2017
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The number of job openings in the U.S. fell sharply in May as companies hired the most people since 2004, a survey of the labor market shows. Job openings fell by 301,000 in May to 5.66 million, just one month after reaching the second highest level ever, the federal government reported Tuesday.

• July 7, 2017
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The U.S. created 222,000 new jobs in June and hiring was stronger in the spring than previously reported, reflecting a labor market with plenty of vigor left in it. Economists polled had predicted a 180,000 increase in nonfarm jobs. The unemployment rate rose to 4.4% from 4.3% as more people entered the labor force in

• July 7, 2017
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The Federal Reserve expects a “gradual” increase in interest rates and for balance sheet normalization to begin this year, according to the monetary policy report released Friday. That’s the same assessment the Federal Open Market Committee gave after its June meeting, and comes ahead of Federal Reserve Chairwoman Janet Yellen’s testimony on Capitol Hill next

• July 6, 2017
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Employers added a seasonally-adjusted 153,000 jobs during the month, payroll processor ADP said. That was below the 180,000 jobs that a consensus of economists had forecast.

• July 6, 2017
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U.S. Treasury yields rose on Thursday, joining a global selloff in government paper, as investors took a cautious stance amid fears that central banks were on the verge of halting easy-money policies.

• July 6, 2017
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The trade deficit fell 2.3% in May largely because of fewer imports of cell phones and other consumer goods, but the longer-run outlook for the U.S. was still grim. The deficit slipped to $46.5 billion in May from $47.6 billion in April, the Commerce Department said Thursday. Economists polled had forecast a $46.3 billion gap.