Effects from the payroll tax cut boosted retail sales, offsetting the impact of higher prices of food and gasoline. Purchases for the month of February […]
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Public Sector Layoffs Add To Unemployment Rolls
Hiring in key areas of the private sector has been bullish, but increasing layoffs in the private sector are still a major headwind to job […]
Trade Deficit Widens due to Unexpected Surge in Imports
The U.S. trade deficit widened by an unexpected 15.1 percent to $46.3 billion in January due to a 5.2 percent jump in imports. Economists surveyed […]
Feb Jobs Report – Best in 3 years, but no ticker tape just yet…
The Bureau of Labor Statistics announced that the US unemployment rate fell to 8.9 percent, nonfarm payrolls increased by 192,000 and 222,000 private-sector jobs were […]
With Gas Prices Up, New Auto Sales Follow
U.S. auto sales surged by 27 percent in February, as a hike in oil prices sent consumers shopping for more efficient vehicles. With an annualized […]
Increased Consumer Confidence Could Spell Signs of Recovery
Consumer confidence climbed to its highest level since the early days of the recession in February, outpacing many analysts’ expectations. According to the Conference Board, […]
U.S. GDP Revised Downward for Fourth Quarter
The United States’ economy grew slower than previously thought, said the Commerce Department on Friday. The advance estimate of the real gross domestic product – […]
Declining home prices offset rise in sales
Existing home sales increased last month, but declining prices and a high percentage of distressed sales indicate that the housing market faces a long road […]
Changes in Building Permit Codes Affected LEI Numbers
The number for January’s Index of Leading Economic Indicator (LEI) came out yesterday and they show that the U.S. is still increasing by 0.1 percent. […]
Consumers Feel the Pinch as Economists Breath Sigh of Relief
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported early Thursday morning that the consumer price index rose to a seasonally adjusted 0.4 percent in February, the second straight month of growth. The index came in at a higher than projected 0.3 percent made by many economists across the U.S., according to Bloomberg.