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The biggest news this week will be the Fed’s two-day meeting, which begins Tuesday, with the Monetary Policy decision and press conference following Wednesday afternoon. Tuesday also brings Retail Sales data for May and an update on this month’s home builder confidence reading. On Wednesday, look for May’s Housing Starts and Building Permits data along […]

June 16 marks National Fudge Day, and this simple Chocolate Fudge recipe from Food Network makes the perfect celebratory treat. Yields approximately 64 delicious squares. Begin by combining a 14-ounce can of sweetened condensed milk with 2 cups of semisweet chocolate chips and a pinch of fine sea salt in a small saucepan. Stir thoroughly […]

Weekly initial jobless claims remained steady at 248,000, marking the highest level since October. In addition, continuing claimsjumped by 54,000 to reach 1.956 million. For the past year, continuing claims have stayed above 1.8 million and have nowexceeded 1.9 million for the third consecutive week What’s the bottom line?The recent uptick in initial unemployment claims, […]

Wholesale inflation remained subdued in May, with the Producer Price Index (PPI) increasing by just 0.1% for the month. On anannual basis, the PPI edged up to 2.6% from 2.5%. Similarly, Core PPI – which excludes volatile food and energy prices – also rose by 0.1% for the month, while its yearly rate declined to […]

May’s inflation numbers came in softer than expected, with the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rising just 0.1% for the month. On an annual basis, inflation edged up slightly from April’s four-year low of 2.3% to 2.4% in May, but still below projections. This lower-than-forecast result was largely influenced by declining energy and gasoline prices, while […]

Celebrate National Cupcake Lovers Day on June 13 (or anytime your sweet tooth calls) with this simple Vanilla Cupcake recipefrom Food Network. Makes 12 standard or 48 mini treats! Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, with a rack positioned in the middle. Line muffin tins with cupcake liners. Whisk 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 […]

Home values continued their upward trend in April, with Cotality (formerly CoreLogic) reporting a 0.6% monthly increase and 2% annual growth. ICE data confirms this pattern with similar 2% year-over-year gains. What’s the bottom line?Experts remain optimistic, with Cotality forecasting a 0.8% price increase for May and a substantial 4.3% appreciation over the next year. […]

Weekly initial jobless claims increased by 8,000 to reach 247,000, marking their highest level since October. At the same time, continuing unemployment claims declined by 3,000 to 1.904 million, but have remained above 1.9 million for the second straight week and for the third time in the past six weeks. Furthermore, recent data from Challenger, […]

April job openings increased surprisingly to 7.39 million from March’s 7.2 million, exceeding forecasts. Growth was primarily in professional/business services and healthcare sectors. Hiring (3.5%) and quit (2%) rates continue hovering near decade lows, excluding pandemic periods. These low rates create obstacles for job seekers and suggest workers lack confidence in the current market. What’s […]

May’s private sector added just 37,000 jobs, significantly below the expected 115,000, according to ADP data. This marks the slowest hiring pace since March 2023, suggesting economic uncertainty is affecting employer decisions. Large companies (500+ employees) actually lost 3,000 jobs – a notable shift from previous months’ growth. Small businesses (under 50 employees) also cut […]

May’s Jobs Report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics showed that 139,000 jobs were added – just above the expected 130,000. The unemployment rate remained steady at 4.2%. What’s the bottom line?Despite the positive headline, a closer look at the underlying data reveals areas of concern. Notably, these initial figures are often revised in subsequent […]

June is National Mango Month! Celebrate with this refreshing and easy No-churn Mango Ice Cream from Food Network– no icecream maker required! Yields 4 servings. Freeze 1/2 cup plain yogurt in an ice cube tray until solid (at least 2 hours or overnight). In a food processor, combine frozen yogurt cubes, 16 ounces (about 2 […]

Weekly initial jobless claims jumped by 14,000 to 240,000, hitting their highest mark since late April. Meanwhile, continuing unemployment claims increased by 26,000 to 1.919 million – a level not seen since November 2021. What’s the bottom line?Continuing claims have remained stubbornly above 1.8 million weekly for the past year, exceeding 1.9 million twice in […]

The second estimate for first quarter 2025 GDP shows the U.S. economy contracted by -0.2% – slightly better than the initially reported 0.3% decline. What’s the bottom line?GDP serves as our economic health scorecard, and any slowdown raises concerns. The recent contraction primarily stemmed from higher imports (as businesses prepared for new tariffs) and decreased […]

Following a strong March increase, Pending Home Sales fell 6.3% in April, according to the National Association of REALTORS®(NAR). This key housing market indicator tracks signed contracts on existing homes and typically forecasts closing activity in thenext 1-2 months. What’s the bottom line?Contract signings decreased across all four U.S. regions. NAR’s Chief Economist Lawrence Yun […]