December 5, 2011 Consumer spending displayed surprising resilience in October, with retail sales posting strong gains. The pace of spending slowed from September’s more robust numbers, but did not suggest broad-based weakening. Retail sales recorded gains for the fifth consecutive month and follow on the heels of solid GDP numbers, which reflect robust business investment [...]
November 4, 2011 The pace of hiring in October remains consistent with the moderate GDP performance and reflects the protracted US economic recovery. Similar to prior months, private-sector firms added jobs in professional and business services, leisure and hospitality, and healthcare. The headline unemployment rate edged down, but has made little progress recently, fluctuating within [...]
November 1, 2011 U.S. consumers and businesses spent much of the first half of the year disappointed by frequently mixed economic indicators, slow economic growth, lagging employment and, perhaps disproportionately, the debt crisis in the eurozone. Third quarter GDP data confirmed stronger and more dispersed economic growth than previous estimates. Demand has held up relatively [...]
October 21, 2011 The equity markets have modestly quieted relative to last month’s daunting volatility, accompanied by plunging consumer confidence and a brief pullback in hiring. However, despite ongoing concerns regarding consumers’ and corporate America’s reluctance to enter a full expansion phase, two closely watched measures of economic health soundly beat expectations last week. These [...]
