2 min readCo-authored by: Pate Campbell Economic News The December Employment Report revealed a decline in the unemployment rate to 3.5% from 3.7% while 233K jobs were added to non-farm payrolls. Despite ongoing tightness in the labor market, average hourly earnings grew at 0.3%, slower than the rate in previous months. Lower hourly earnings growth not only…
3 min readFresh Economic Data This past week, the Bureau of Economic Analysis released October’s Personal Income and Outlays Report. Personal income and spending rose by 0.7% and 0.8%, respectively, on a month-over-month basis. The headline Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) index climbed by 6.0% year-over-year, while the core PCE index, stripping out food and energy costs and…
2 min readCPI Surprised to the Upside… Again The Consumer Price Index rose 0.4% in September, double the expected increase, despite a decline in energy prices for the month. Services and shelter costs were the biggest contributors, but large increases were broad-based across categories. Core CPI accelerated unexpectedly to a 0.6% monthly gain, pushing the year-over-year comparison…
2 min readThese are certainly challenging times for the Federal Reserve. The past few weeks brought new data confirming historically tight conditions in the labor market alongside soaring domestic price pressures. While the Fed’s recent aggressive rate hikes have yet to cool inflation, concerns are growing that the pace and scope of their activity will push the…
3 min readInvestors grew increasingly concerned about the risk of recession in late June. Stock markets were particularly volatile on Thursday with the S&P giving up 0.9% on the day and 21% over the first half of the year, marking the worst performance since the 1970s. The DJIA declined 0.8% and the Nasdaq retreated by 1.3% as…
2 min readThe Fed appears likely to increase its overnight rate target at the March 15th-16th FOMC meeting. In addition to many other Fed officials who have expressed a willingness to tighten monetary policy to contain inflation pressures, Fed Chair Powell reinforced the hawkish tone at his Senate nomination hearing earlier this month. Throughout most of 2021…
2 min readThe Federal Reserve met over the past two days to review its stance on monetary policy, and it has provided specific details on plans to taper its bond purchase program over the next few quarters. Since March of 2020, the central bank has been buying $120 billion of assets each month, and it revealed today…
2 min readOutgoing Treasury Secretary Mnuchin announced in late November that he would allow certain Federal Reserve relief programs to expire at the end of the year. Federal Reserve officials had publicly urged Mnuchin to extend all emergency programs but ultimately conceded and will close several of the facilities this month. The Fed also announced on Monday…
2 min readVaccine Progress Earlier this month, Pfizer and BioNTech announced that their COVID-19 vaccine proved to be more than 90% effective in early trial results, while Moderna reported that its version is 95% effective in protecting patients from the virus. Fed Chair Jerome Powell spoke with Bank of England governor Andrew Bailey and European Central Bank…
2 min readA Momentous Week All eyes are on the United States as Election Day finally arrives and a bitterly contentious campaign cycle draws to a close. An estimated 100 million early votes were cast in advance of Election Day and the country appears to be heading for a record presidential election turnout. The focus now shifts…