News

The Producer Price Index (PPI), which measures inflation on the wholesale level, rose 0.6% in February, doubling market estimates. On an annual basis, PPI rose from 1% to 1.6%, well above the 1.1% that was forecasted. Core PPI, which strips out volatile food and energy prices, was hotter than expected with a 0.3% rise. The year-over-year […]

There were 209,000 Initial Jobless Claims filed in the latest week, marking a decline of 1,000 applications for new unemployment benefits from the previous week. Continuing Claims rose by 17,000, with 1.811 million people still receiving benefits after filing their initial claim. What’s the bottom line? The latest Continuing Claims figure is much lower than the 1.9 […]

The latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) showed that inflation rose 0.4% from January to February, coming in right around forecasts. CPI also rose from 3.1% to 3.2% year over year, which was above the expected unchanged reading. Core CPI, which strips out volatile food and energy prices, increased 0.4% while the annual reading fell from 3.9% […]

March 13 is National Chicken Noodle Soup Day. Create the perfect comfort food with this quick and easy recipe from Allrecipes that yields six servings. In a large pot, melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat. Add 1/2 cup each of chopped onion and chopped celery and cook until just tender, about five minutes. Add […]

Inflation will be the key story, with February’s Consumer Price Index releasing on Tuesday and the Producer Price Index (which measures wholesale inflation) on Thursday. The Fed will be watching these reports closely, given that January’s readings were hotter than expected. Also on Thursday, look for February’s Retail Sales and the latest Jobless Claims. Friday […]

Black Knight released their Home Price Index for January, and home values rose 0.2% from December. Prices were also 5.6% higher than in January 2023. CoreLogic’s latest Home Price Index showed that national home values fell 0.1% from December to January. While this monthly figure was different than Black Knight’s, CoreLogic reported a slightly higher […]

The latest Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) showed that job openings declined slightly in January, falling from a downwardly revised 8.889 million in December to 8.863 million. The hiring rate dropped from 3.7% to 3.6% while the quit rate fell from 2.2% to 2.1%, suggesting there’s a lack of employers trying to entice […]

Applications for new unemployment benefits were unchanged in the latest week, as 217,000 Initial Jobless Claims were filed. Continuing Claims rose by 8,000, with 1.906 million people still receiving benefits after filing their initial claim. What’s the bottom line? Initial Jobless Claims are still relatively low, however the latest Job Cuts report from Challenger, Gray & Christmas showed that announced layoffs […]

ADP’s Employment Report showed that private payrolls grew less than expected in February, as employers added 140,000 new jobs versus the 150,000 that had been forecasted. Most of the hiring took place in the services sector and in businesses with more than 50 employees. What’s the bottom line? “Job gains remain solid. Pay gains are trending lower […]

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that there were 275,000 jobs created in February, which was stronger than the 200,000 new jobs that had been forecasted. However, revisions to December and January cut 167,000 jobs in those months combined while the unemployment rate rose from 3.7% to 3.9%, marking the first increase since October. […]

The Case-Shiller Home Price Index, which is considered the “gold standard” for appreciation, showed home prices nationwide rose 0.2% from November to December after seasonal adjustment. Home values in December were also 5.5% higher than a year earlier, with S&P DJI’s Head of Commodities, Brian D. Luke, noting that the index “continued its streak of seven […]

Pending Home Sales fell 4.9% from December to January per the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR), coming in below expectations. Sales were also 8.8% below the level reported in January 2023. Pending Home Sales measure signed contracts on existing homes, making them an important forward-looking indicator for closings as measured by Existing Home Sales. What’s the […]

New Home Sales, which measure signed contracts on new homes, were up 1.5% from December to January, marking the second consecutive month sales increased. Signed contracts were also 1.8% higher than they were in January 2023. What’s the bottom line? January’s modest increase wasn’t as large as economists had forecasted, as frigid temperatures around much of the […]

January’s Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) showed that headline inflation rose 0.3% for the month, with the year-over-year reading falling from 2.6% to 2.4%. Core PCE, the Fed’s preferred method which strips out volatile food and energy prices, rose by 0.4% monthly. The year-over-year reading fell from 2.9% to 2.8%, pushing this important metric one step closer to the Fed’s […]

Applications for new unemployment benefits rose by 13,000 in the latest week, as 215,000 Initial Jobless Claims were filed. Continuing Claims also rose 45,000, with 1.905 million people still receiving benefits after filing their initial claim. What’s the bottom line? While Initial Jobless Claims are still relatively low, Continuing Claims have been trending higher, with this latest reading the […]