Tag Archives: inflation

Too Many Vacant Jobs?

Financial FAQs The number of job openings was little changed at 7.8 million in May, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Over the month, both hires and total separations were little changed at 5.5 million and 5.2 million, … Continue reading

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Worried Consumers Shop Less

Popular Economics Weekly “Disposable personal income (DPI)—personal income less personal current taxes—decreased $125.0 billion (0.6 percent) and personal consumption expenditures (PCE) decreased $29.3 billion (0.1 percent).” BEA.GOV We are seeing one of the classic signs of a looming recession—consumers are … Continue reading

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First Quarter Growth Revised Lower

Financial FAQs “Real gross domestic product (GDP) decreased at an annual rate of -0.5 percent in the first quarter of 2025 (January, February, and March), according to the third estimate released by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. In the fourth … Continue reading

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Interest Rates Coming Down?

The Mortgage Corner “Existing-home sales rose in May, according to the National Association of REALTORS®. Sales elevated in the Northeast, Midwest and South, but retreated in the West. Year-over-year, sales progressed in the Northeast and Midwest but contracted in the … Continue reading

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U.S. Already in Recession?

Financial FAQs The Conference Board Leading Economic Index® (LEI) for the US ticked down by 0.1% in May 2025 to 99.0 (2016=100), after declining by 1.4% in April (revised downward from –1.0% originally reported). The LEI has fallen by 2.7% in … Continue reading

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Tariffs Trump Consumer Spending

Financial FAQs “Advance estimates of U.S. retail and food services sales for May 2025, adjusted for seasonal variation and holiday and trading-day differences, but not for price changes, were $715.4 billion, down 0.9 percent (±0.5 percent) from the previous month, … Continue reading

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Immigrants Make a Difference

Popular Economics Weekly “Total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 139,000 in May, and the unemployment rate was unchanged at 4.2 percent, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Employment continued to trend up in health care, leisure and hospitality, … Continue reading

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More Signs of Slower Growth

Financial FAQs “The manufacturing economy continues to struggle,” Susan Spence of ISM said. “It will continue to struggle” due to all the trade uncertainty. “The administration’s tariffs alone have created supply chain disruptions rivaling that of Covid-19,” executive at an … Continue reading

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Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill?

Answering Kennedy’s Call “The House has now passed what must surely be the worst piece of legislation in modern U.S. history. Millions of Americans are about to see crucial government support snatched away. A significant number will die prematurely due … Continue reading

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What’s the Fed Saying?

The Mortgage Corner “In considering the outlook for monetary policy, participants agreed that with economic growth and the labor market still solid and current monetary policy moderately restrictive, the committee was well positioned to wait for more clarity on the … Continue reading

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