US Rapid Response Retail Sales (May) The soft May retail sales data support our view that, after a disappointing first quarter, GDP growth remains a little lacklustre in the second quarter too. Our forecast now stands at 1.9%. 18th June 2024 · 2 mins read
US Rapid Response Uni. of Michigan Consumer Sentiment (June 2024) The further decline in the University of Michigan consumer sentiment index to a seven-month low of 65.6 in June, from 69.1, suggests that households are now struggling more under the weight of higher... 14th June 2024 · 1 min read
US Rapid Response Producer Prices (May) With the May producer price data also coming in weaker than expected, we now estimate that the core PCE deflator increased by only 0.11% m/m last month, which would take the annual core PCE inflation... 13th June 2024 · 2 mins read
US Rapid Response Fed Policy Announcement (June 11-12) The median FOMC projection now shows only one 25bp rate cut this year, but it was a relatively close run thing. Four officials expect no cut this year, a further seven anticipate one cut, while the... 12th June 2024 · 2 mins read
US Rapid Response Consumer Prices (May) Core CPI increased by a more modest 0.2%m/m in May and, although we still need to see the PPI data tomorrow, it looks like core PCE, the Fed's preferred inflation metric, increased by significantly... 12th June 2024 · 2 mins read
US Rapid Response Employment Report (May) The bigger-than-expected 272,000 gain in non-farm payrolls in May will soothe recent fears that the bottom had suddenly dropped out of the economy. With average hourly earnings increasing by 0.4% m/m... 7th June 2024 · 2 mins read
US Rapid Response US International Trade (Apr. 2024) The April trade data suggest that net trade is on track to weigh on GDP growth again this quarter, but that is primarily due to continued strength in imports, which paints a better picture of domestic... 6th June 2024 · 2 mins read
US Rapid Response ISM Services Index (May 2024) The rise in the ISM services index to 53.8 in May, from 49.4, meant that the weighted ISM index rebounded last month, despite a decline in the manufacturing index. That still leaves it consistent with... 5th June 2024 · 1 min read
US Rapid Response US ISM Manufacturing Index (May 2024) The drop in the ISM manufacturing index in May adds to the sense that the economy is losing momentum, while the drop back in the prices paid index should soothe concerns about a potential renewed rise... 3rd June 2024 · 2 mins read
US Rapid Response Income & Spending (Apr.) As expected, the PCE deflator data suggest that, although not quite as bad as the first three months of the year, inflation was still running above target in April. At the same time, however, the real... 31st May 2024 · 2 mins read
US Rapid Response US Durable Goods Orders (Apr. 2024) Headline and core durable goods both did better than we expected in April, suggesting that the earlier decline in corporate borrowing costs may be feeding through. Nonetheless, with growth in... 24th May 2024 · 1 min read
US Rapid Response Fed Minutes (Apr 20 - May 1) The minutes of the Fed’s early May policy meeting are, not surprisingly given the backdrop of data releases ahead of that meeting, somewhat hawkish. The resilience of economic growth and employment... 22nd May 2024 · 2 mins read
US Rapid Response Industrial Production (Apr.) The 0.3% m/m decline in manufacturing output in April , together with the downward revision to the March gain, from 0.5% to 0.2%, continues the run of weaker activity data and will further solidify... 16th May 2024 · 1 min read
US Rapid Response US Retail Sales (Apr. 2024) We would caution against jumping to the conclusion that consumers are starting to crack under high interest rates, despite the disappointing retail sales data for April, as some payback always seemed... 15th May 2024 · 2 mins read
US Rapid Response Consumer Prices (Apr.) The slightly more modest 0.3% m/m increase in core CPI in April was even better than it looked, particularly given that we already know the PPI components that feed into the Fed’s preferred PCE... 15th May 2024 · 2 mins read
US Rapid Response Producer Prices (Apr.) The bigger-than-expected 0.5% m/m increases in both all items and core final demand producer prices in April were mainly due to downward revisions to earlier months, with the 0.2% m/m gains in March... 14th May 2024 · 2 mins read