US Data Response Conf. Board Consumer Confidence (Jun.) The Conference Board's measure of consumer confidence rose to a six-year high of 85.2 in June, from 82.2, as the positive effects from an improving labour market and record high equity prices trumped... 24th June 2014 · 1 min read
US Housing Market Data Response Case-Shiller Prices & New Home Sales (Apr/May) The sharp slowdown in house price inflation in April is unlikely to be a one-off. House price gains will slow further now that housing supply conditions are loosening. 24th June 2014 · 1 min read
US Chart Pack Industrial recovery gathering momentum The weather-related slump in activity in the first quarter persuaded many that the US economic recovery would remain lacklustre. The fundamentals look a lot better now, however, with credit... 24th June 2014 · 1 min read
US Housing Market Data Response Existing Home Sales (May) The strong rise in existing home sales in May probably reflects the milder weather and the 35 basis point decline in 30-year mortgage interest rates so far in 2014. We expect the improvement in home... 23rd June 2014 · 1 min read
Canada Economics Weekly Canada's equity market rally likely to simmer down The recent rally in Canada's benchmark stock market index, which has risen by 24% over the past 12 months, took it to a new record high last week. What's more impressive from our vantage point is the... 23rd June 2014 · 1 min read
US Economics Weekly Fed too complacent on inflation We don’t agree with Janet Yellen’s view that the recent rise in inflation is just noise. Instead, it is clear to us that a widespread strengthening in price pressures in areas as diverse as rents... 23rd June 2014 · 1 min read
Canada Data Response Consumer Price Index (May) The stronger than expected pick-up in both headline and core inflation indicates that inflation will overshot the Bank of Canada's previous forecast assumptions. Since a large part of this is due to... 20th June 2014 · 1 min read
Canada Economics Update Household financial leverage still dangerously high While Canadian policymakers will be somewhat relieved to learn that household financial leverage hasn't risen any higher this year, it hasn't fallen either, meaning that heavily indebted households... 19th June 2014 · 1 min read
US Economics Update Fed sticks to the QE tapering plan Despite the contraction in first-quarter GDP, the falling unemployment rate and signs of a pick-up in inflation persuaded the Fed to stick to its existing plan and taper its asset purchases by a... 18th June 2014 · 1 min read
US Economics Update Monetary Indicators Monitor (May) The annual growth rate of our measure of M3*, which replicates the series discontinued by the Fed, accelerated to an 11-month high of 6.1% in May. This is entirely consistent with the recent rise in... 18th June 2014 · 1 min read
Canada Chart Pack Labour market slack will keep inflation low Although inflation has been on the rise, the broader evidence suggests that this pick-up should prove temporary. Economic growth since the start of the year has been disappointing and labour market... 17th June 2014 · 1 min read
US Housing Market Data Response Housing Starts (May) The fall in housing starts in May is not a surprise given the size of the gain the month before, although the size of the decline was bigger than we or the consensus expected. Looking ahead, there are... 17th June 2014 · 1 min read
US Data Response Consumer Prices (May) With core CPI inflation rising to 2.0% in May, from 1.8% in April, the Fed will have to acknowledge in tomorrow’s policy statement that price pressures are building. The chances that it will hike... 17th June 2014 · 1 min read
US Data Response Industrial Production (May) May’s industrial production data are a timely reminder ahead of this week’s Fed policy meeting that activity is bouncing back after the disappointment of the first quarter. What’s more, the latest... 16th June 2014 · 1 min read
Canada Economics Weekly Housing affordability a major problem While the Canadian government has been tightening its macro-prudential housing rules over the past five years, housing valuations have continued to inflate and household financial leverage has climbed... 16th June 2014 · 1 min read
US Economics Weekly Fed will focus on improving labour market GDP growth over the first half of this year could average less than 1% annualised. At the same time, however, labour market conditions have strengthened and price inflation appears to be picking up... 16th June 2014 · 1 min read
