Tag Archives: consumer spending

Trade Wars Kill Future Growth—Part II

Popular Economics Weekly The sad reality is that in initiating trade wars with allies and opponents alike, President Trump could be bringing on the next Great Recession. Because breaking up trade alliances with our allies means less leverage in any … Continue reading

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Boom Times Here with Rising Retail Sales, Inflation

The Mortgage Corner Retail sales jumped 0.8 percent in May which easily tops economists’ estimates. And the results include an upward revision to April which now stands at a 0.4 percent gain, according to Econoday. It is in part due … Continue reading

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JOLTS Report Suggests Workers Holding Out for Higher Pay

Financial FAQs Graph: Econoday “For the first time in nearly 20 years of existing records, the number of job openings, at 6.698 million in April, is exceeding the number of unemployed actively looking for work, at 6.346 million in April … Continue reading

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April Retail, Consumer Spending Just Ok

Popular Economics Weekly Graph: Marketwatch Consumers have to do better, if GDP growth is to exceed 3 percent, as the recent tax cut bill promised. Consumer spending was weak in the first quarter and the first look at the second … Continue reading

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Retail Sales, Consumers Resume Spending Ways For How Long?

Financial FAQs Graph: Econoday “Autos are the big story in March,” said Econoday, “jumping 2.0 percent and finally shaking off the long lull following the replacement surge of September’s hurricanes. Excluding autos, retail sales managed only a 0.2 percent gain … Continue reading

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Retail Sales, Consumers Resume Spending Ways For How Long?

Financial FAQs Graph: Econoday “Autos are the big story in March,” said Econoday, “jumping 2.0 percent and finally shaking off the long lull following the replacement surge of September’s hurricanes. Excluding autos, retail sales managed only a 0.2 percent gain … Continue reading

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Whither Go Interest Rates?

The Mortgage Corner Existing-home resales weakened in January as the NAR’s pending home sales index fell sharply and is pointing to trouble for final sales of existing homes where the year-on-year rate for January had already fallen back below the … Continue reading

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How Bad Is Our Trade Deficit?

Financial FAQs President Trump just announced a 25 percent tariff (tax) on imported steel, and 10 percent tariff on aluminum. Will this improve our 2017 $566 billion trade deficit? Can we lower our trade deficit with higher tariffs on such … Continue reading

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How Bad Is Our Trade Deficit?

Financial FAQs President Trump just announced a 25 percent tariff (tax) on imported steel, and 10 percent tariff on aluminum. Will this improve our 2017 $566 billion trade deficit? Can we lower our trade deficit with higher tariffs on such … Continue reading

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Why Raise Interest Rates Now?

Financial FAQs The Federal Reserve is warning about the consequences of the just passed tax reform bill, which includes adding some $1.5 trillion to the federal debt in ten years. New York Fed President William Dudley says it will put … Continue reading

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