Fact of the Week

by Raymond J. Keating – The latest personal income report from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis offered some hope, along with troubling reminders. First, it was noted that personal income in January grew by 0.6 percent. Normally, that would be good news. However, inflation – as measured by the PCE price index in this […]

by Raymond J. Keating – If you’re seeking an example of the power of special interests in politics, look no further than labor unions. While labor union membership continues to fall – as illustrated by the latest data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) – the political influence of unions persists. The BLS […]

by Raymond J. Keating –  The latest business applications data from the U.S. Census Bureau points to a continuing high level of desire or a significant intention among Americans to startup their own businesses. The “but” comes into play, however, when looking at the costs and uncertainties imposed by policymakers, and economic uncertainty and opportunity […]

by Raymond J. Keating  –   The Federal Reserve announced on Wednesday, December 14 that it was raising the federal funds rate by a half-point to 4.25 to 4.5 percent. The Fed added, “The Committee anticipates that ongoing increases in the target range will be appropriate in order to attain a stance of monetary policy […]

by Raymond J. Keating – Consumer credit continued to grow strongly in July, according to the latest data from the Federal Reserve. Total consumer credit grew at annual rate of 6.2 percent in July. That came after growth of 10.2 percent in June and 6.2 percent in May. Nonrevolving credit (e.g., “motor vehicle loans and […]

by Raymond J. Keating – Given that the Consumer Price Index report had shown that CPI inflation was flat in July, it was expected that the July personal income report would offer a breather from bad news related to inflation going back to early last year. In July 2022, the personal consumption expenditures (PCE) index […]

by Raymond J. Keating – Just how “good” is the jobs market? It’s noted in the latest U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics report on “State Employment and Unemployment” that in July 2022 compared to the previous month, “Nonfarm payroll employment increased in 20 states, decreased in 2 states, and was essentially unchanged in 28 states […]

by Raymond J. Keating – The Census Bureau has reported that housing starts took a dive in July, with permits not faring well either. In fact, after having a nice run during the pandemic economy, housing starts have now fallen back to below their pre-pandemic level: ● Housing starts (at a seasonally adjusted annual rate) […]

by Raymond J. Keating – Perhaps you thought that inflation could not get any worse than the Consumer Price Index data we saw for May 2022? Well, if so, you were wrong. CPI inflation actually got worse in June, according to the latest report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. After jumping by 1.0 […]

The Best and Worst Performing States by Raymond J. Keating – It goes without saying that the pandemic has generated severe woes across the U.S. and around the world. Looking at real GDP numbers (annualized seasonally adjusted data), the U.S. economy in the first quarter of 2022 stood at only 2.7 percent higher than where […]