Back-to-school outlook: Consumers will seek value
The back-to-school season is influenced by shifting consumer behavior as families prioritize value-oriented choices.
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Strong economic data signals another rate hike in July
A series of economic reports released on Thursday showed a much more resilient economy than expected heading into a crucial period when the Federal Reserve is on the verge of hiking interest rates again.
Spending and inflation cool in May
Inflation continued to decelerate in May as the Federal Reserve's key pricing metric—the personal consumption expenditures index—grew by only 3.8%
U.S. economy was a lot stronger in first quarter, final GDP estimate shows
The third and final estimate of gross domestic product showed a drastic upward revision to a 2.0% gain from 1.3% on a quarterly and annualized basis.
Business equipment spending rises for the second straight month
Despite May's top-line upside surprises in the durable goods report, our forecast for GDP growth in the second quarter stays at 1.8%.
Is the economy headed for a recession? Jobless claims are saying yes.
Despite the labor market's resilience and persistently low claims compared to historical norms, the steady increases in claims since late last year are ringing alarm bells.
Fed pauses rate hikes while signaling a tightening bias
The Federal Open Market Committee on Wednesday kept its policy rate in a range between 5% and 5.25% while signaling that it will most likely hike the federal funds rate by 25 basis points at least twice before the end of the year.
Inflation relief in the pipeline as food, gas and service prices ease
Top-line U.S. inflation is moving back toward levels where it is appropriate for the Federal Reserve to pause in its efforts to restore price stability.
The debt ceiling agreement and the financial health of the U.S.
The agreemen's impact on economic growth will most likely be negligible and will bring modest growth in overall spending over the next two years.
Consumer confidence falls to six-month low
The top-line confidence level fell to 102.3 from an upwardly revised 103.7, the Conference Board reported on Tuesday.
Have consumers maxed out their spending?
As consumer liquidity begins to dwindle, middle market businesses in the consumer products industry need adaptable tools to ensure profitability.
Jobless claims drop as fraud claims are resolved
New filings for jobless benefits fell last week to 242,000 from 264,000, a sharp 8.3% drop, in part because of the resolution of fraudulent claims in Massachusetts.
Nonprofits may benefit from proposed legislation
The Nonprofit SEAT Act would strengthen the relationship between the nonprofit sector and the federal government, providing nonprofits a seat at the table of federal policymaking.
Fed hikes rate a quarter point while creating framework for a pause
The 25 basis-point increase was accompanied by changes in the Federal Open Market Committee’s statement that imply a possible pause at the Fed’s next meeting in June with a bias toward more tightening should inflation prove sticky.
Job openings fell in March as the labor market softened
Job openings fell to 9.6 million in March from almost 10 million in February, a clear sign that the labor market is softening as the economy slows down.
U.S. growth slows to 1.1% as businesses pull back
Growth in the first quarter expanded at a 1.1% annualized pace and by 1.6% on a year-ago basis as a modest inventory correction and a large pullback in business investment—a net drag of 2.34%—offset the robust 3.7% increase in overall household consumption.