• March 21, 2017
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It has happened — for the first time in more than three years, U.K. inflation has broken above the Bank of England’s 2% target, adding pressure on the central bank to raise interest rates to curb the rapid jump in consumer prices. At 2.3% for February, the consumer price index rose faster than the 2.1%

• March 20, 2017
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If expected U.S. economic improvement persists, the Federal Reserve is likely to raise interest rates a total of three times in 2017, said Chicago Fed President Charles Evans, but that loose target could go up to four rate hikes this year should inflation creep higher than the 2%, or even just over 2%, that the

• March 17, 2017
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Manufacturing output gained 0.5% in February, the sixth straight monthly increase. Economist had expected a 0.3% rise in output in February. This followed a revised 0.1% decline in January, a bit faster than the original reading of a 0.3% decline. Industrial output has been in an up-and-down pattern since last fall. Compared with the same

• March 17, 2017
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Minneapolis Fed President Neel Kashkari on Friday said he dissented from the U.S. central bank’s decision to hike interest rates earlier this week because not all that much had changed in the outlook for inflation since the January meeting. While there were some signs that inflation was picking up, it was not happening rapidly, Kashkari

• March 17, 2017
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Most Americans are quite optimistic the U.S. economy will do well in the days ahead, though Democrats remain depressed two months into the Trump presidency. The index of consumer sentiment rose to 97.6 in March from 96.3 in February, based on a preliminary reading by the University Michigan. Economists surveyed by MarketWatch had forecast a

• March 17, 2017
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The U.S. economy is set to accelerate, if a gauge that historically correlates with future performance is on target. The Conference Board said its leading economic index rose 0.6% in February — the third straight gain of that magnitude — to reach its highest level in more than a decade. “Widespread gains across a majority

• March 17, 2017
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Treasurys gained ground Friday, leaving yields on track for a weekly decline after the Federal Reserve on Wednesday failed to signal a more aggressive approach to future rate moves. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note fell 1.8 basis points to 2.506%, according to Tradeweb, while the 2-year yield declined 0.7 basis point to 1.317%.

• March 16, 2017
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The number of Americans who applied for unemployment benefits fell by 2,000 to 241,000 in mid-March, as layoffs remained near the lowest level in decades. Economists polled by MarketWatch has expected initial jobless claims to total 240,000 in the seven days stretching from March 5 to March 11.

• March 16, 2017
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The Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia’s monthly index on regional manufacturers fell to 32.8 in March from 43.3 in February, which was the highest reading in 33 years, according to data released Thursday. Economists polled by MarketWatch had expected the Philly Fed gauge to pull back to 30 in March

• March 16, 2017
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Construction on new houses climbed 3% in February to the second highest level since 2007, reflecting pentup demand in a steadily growing economy that builders are aiming to address. The pace of so-called housing starts rose to an annual rate of 1.29 million last month, with construction on single-family homes hitting the highest level since