Press Releases

by Raymond J. Keating – In the most straightforward terms, the interest rate on a loan is the price that borrowers, including small businesses, have to pay to get money now for whatever purpose, such as investing in new equipment. Therefore, it’s no surprise to see that a recent poll of small business owners conducted […]

by Raymond J. Keating – The latest data from the U.S. Census Bureau estimated that retail and food services sales in October recovered from a poor September performance. Retail and food services sales grew by 1.3 percent in October. That nominal gain compared to a 0.4 percent inflation rate for the month. In September, sales […]

by Raymond J. Keating – Industrial production is a valuable measure of the industrial sector of our economy. That’s especially the case during times of inflation, since industrial production is the physical output, free from price changes, of the manufacturing, mining and utility sectors of our economy. In October, according to latest data from the […]

By Raymond J. Keating –  You don’t have to dig too deeply to see that the October employment report was pretty ugly. Establishment vs. Household Survey While the establishment survey estimated that payrolls increased by 261,000 in October, the household survey, which better captures startup and small business activity, offered a very different picture of […]

NEWS For Immediate Release Washington, D.C. – It’s the weekend before the 2022 midterm elections, and candidates for Congress will be making their final pitch to voters out on the campaign trail.  The Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council (SBE Council) notes that these politicians will no doubt be stopping by Main Street to profess their […]

by Raymond J. Keating – Productivity is essential to income growth for workers, and vital to the profitability of businesses. And while often treated like a difficult puzzle to piece together, productivity growth stems from innovation; improved efficiency and operations; investment in technology, equipment and facilities; experience; and investment in education and skills. However, measuring […]

by Raymond J. Keating – The Federal Reserve announced on November 2 that it would raise the federal funds rate by 0.75 percentage points to a targeted range of 3-3/4 to 4 percent. The Fed added, “The Committee anticipates that ongoing increases in the target range will be appropriate in order to attain a stance […]

by Raymond J. Keating – The latest report on personal income from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis pointed to continuing woes on the income front, with inflation making income gains disappear. It was noted that personal income grew by 0.4 percent in nominal terms in September. Most of that, however, was eaten away by […]

by Raymond J. Keating –  Upon seeing that real GDP grew at 2.6 percent in the third quarter, according to the first estimate released on October 27 by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, my first thought was: Well, at least it’s not negative. After real GDP declined by 1.6 percent in the first quarter […]

by Raymond J. Keating –  The latest edition of the Federal Reserve’s “Beige Book” pointed to a messy economy. That’s anything but surprising. This survey of various contacts outside the Fed pointed to an economy growing “modestly,” but that assessment varied considerably across the economy. Indeed, the term might be a bit optimistic based on […]