US Rapid Response Industrial Production (Sep. 2024) The fall in manufacturing output in September was entirely due to the disruption caused by the Boeing machinists’ strike and Hurricane Helene. Indeed, with these impacts excluded, industrial... 17th October 2024 · 2 mins read
US Rapid Response Uni. of Michigan Consumer Sentiment (Oct. 2024) The trivial fall in the University of Michigan consumer sentiment index in October was likely driven in part by Hurricane Helene, although the fall in the expectations index suggests the mood among... 11th October 2024 · 2 mins read
US Rapid Response Producer Prices (Sep) Based on the combined CPI and PPI data, we now calculate that the Fed’s preferred core PCE deflator price measure increased by 0.24% m/m in September which, at 2.9% annualised, is a little hotter than... 11th October 2024 · 2 mins read
US Rapid Response Consumer Prices (Sep) Although core CPI prices increased by 0.3% m/m for a second consecutive month in September, our calculations suggest that core PCE prices increased by 0.20% m/m which, at an annualised pace, is only... 10th October 2024 · 2 mins read
US Rapid Response Fed Minutes (Sept 17-18) The minutes of the mid-September FOMC meeting reveal that support among Fed officials for kicking off the loosening cycle with a bigger 50bp rate cut was a little weaker than the lone dissent on the... 9th October 2024 · 2 mins read
US Rapid Response International Trade (Aug. 2024) The trade deficit narrowed to $70.4bn in August, from $78.9bn, as exports grew by 2% m/m and imports declined by 0.9% m/m. Exports, especially in real terms, were stronger than the advance goods data... 8th October 2024 · 1 min read
US Rapid Response Employment Report (Sep.) Looking at the labour market strength evident in September’s Employment Report, the real debate at the Fed should be about whether to loosen monetary policy at all. Any hopes of a 50bp cut are long... 4th October 2024 · 2 mins read
US Rapid Response ISM Services (Sep) The surge in the ISM services index to a 17-month high of 54.9 in September, from 51.5, is a good reminder that the contrasting weakness in manufacturing is not a systemic threat to the modern... 3rd October 2024 · 1 min read
US Rapid Response ISM Manufacturing Index (Sep. 2024) The ISM manufacturing index was unchanged in September, although the jump in the production index and rebound in new orders paint a slightly less negative picture heading into the fourth quarter. 1st October 2024 · 2 mins read
US Rapid Response Income & Spending (Aug) As we calculated based on the earlier price data releases, the core PCE deflator increased by a muted 0.13% m/m in August, with the headline deflator up by 0.09% m/m. Admittedly, although the monthly... 27th September 2024 · 1 min read
US Rapid Response GDP (Q2 3rd Est. & Annual Revision) & Durable Goods (Aug) At first glance the annual revision to the national accounts doesn’t appear to have had much of an impact – with second-quarter GDP growth left unchanged at 3.0% and core PCE inflation unchanged at 2... 26th September 2024 · 2 mins read
US Rapid Response Fed Policy Announcement (Sep) The Fed did cut its policy rate by a bigger 50bp, to between 4.75% and 5.00%, but the vote was not unanimous and the new rate projections only shows an additional 50bp of cuts between now and the end... 18th September 2024 · 2 mins read
US Rapid Response Industrial Production (Aug. 2024) Manufacturing output rebounded strongly in August as the temporary disruptions to production from the previous month were reversed. Together with last month’s solid gain in control group retail sales... 17th September 2024 · 2 mins read
US Rapid Response Retail Sales (Aug. 2024) The stronger-than-expected retail sales data for August suggest that, boosted by rapid wealth gains and falling energy prices, consumers continue to spend freely despite the labour market slowdown... 17th September 2024 · 2 mins read
US Rapid Response Uni. of Michigan Consumer Sentiment (Sep. 2024) Despite the small rise in the University of Michigan consumer sentiment index in September, consumer confidence remains in a slump. At face value, weak sentiment points to softer consumer spending... 13th September 2024 · 2 mins read
US Rapid Response Producer Prices (Aug) The August PPI data provide more encouragement for the Fed that inflation has been tamed. Together the CPI and PPI data point to a muted 0.14% m/m increase in the core PCE deflator last month, with... 12th September 2024 · 2 mins read