Newsletters

Retail Sales fell 0.8% from December to January, coming in well below forecasts and breaking a two-month streak of increases. Sales were 0.6% higher when compared to January 2023. What’s the bottom line? After a strong holiday shopping season, spending declined in a variety of categories to start the year, including gasoline stations, home improvement stores […]

Despite some recent high-profile layoff announcements, the number of people filing new unemployment claims declined by 8,000 in the latest week, as there were 212,000 Initial Jobless Claims reported. However, Continuing Claims rose by 30,000, with 1.895 million people still receiving benefits after filing their initial claim.  What’s the bottom line? While Initial Jobless Claims are still relatively […]

The Producer Price Index (PPI), which measures inflation on the wholesale level, rose 0.3% in January, coming in above the expected 0.1% rise. On an annual basis, PPI fell from 1% to 0.9% and while this is a very low number, it was expected to fall to 0.6%. Core PPI, which strips out volatile food and […]

Dish up this Cherry Almond Coffee Cake courtesy of Taste of Home, perfect for brunches, afternoon snacks and National Almond Day on February 16. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In a large bowl, mix 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour and 3/4 cup sugar. Cut in 3/4 cup cubed cold butter until mixture is crumbly. […]

The number of people filing new unemployment claims was lower than expected in the latest week, as Initial Jobless Claims fell by 9,000 to 218,000. Continuing Claims also declined by 23,000, with 1.871 million people still receiving benefits after filing their initial claim. What’s the bottom line? While Initial Jobless Claims are still relatively low, the four-week average […]

The National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) recently reported that there were just 1 million homes available for sale at the end of December, which was down 11.5% from November’s 1.13 million available homes. But these numbers don’t tell the whole story! Many homes counted in existing inventory are under contract and not truly available for purchase. In […]

Black Knight released their Home Price Index for November and December, and home values rose 0.1% in each of those months. Prices were also 5.6% higher than in December 2022. CoreLogic also released their latest Home Price Index, which showed that national home values fell 0.1% from November to December. While this monthly figure was slightly […]

The Case-Shiller Home Price Index, which is considered the “gold standard” for appreciation, showed home prices nationwide rose 0.2% from October to November after seasonal adjustment. This marked the tenth straight month of gains and a new record high. Home values in November were also 5.1% higher than a year earlier, with S&P DJI’s Head of […]

After a period of aggressive rate hikes that began in March 2022, the Fed once again left their benchmark Federal Funds Rate unchanged at a range of 5.25% to 5.5%. This decision was unanimous and marked the fourth straight meeting where the Fed paused additional hikes. The Fed Funds Rate is the interest rate for overnight […]

These crowd-pleasing Baked Chicken Wings from Allrecipes are easy to make and perfect for game day or any favorite celebration! Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. In a large resealable bag, combine 3 tablespoons olive oil, 3 cloves pressed garlic, 2 teaspoons chili powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, and salt and pepper to taste. Add […]

The latest weekly Initial Jobless Claims reached their highest level since November, as 224,000 people filed for unemployment benefits for the first time. Continuing Claims also surged higher, up 70,000 with 1.898 million people still receiving benefits after filing their initial claim. What’s the bottom line? Both Initial and Continuing Jobless Claims have risen over the last […]

The latest Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) showed that job openings were stronger than expected in December, rising from 8.925 million in November to 9.026 million. The hiring rate rose from 3.5% to 3.6% while the quit rate remained at 2.2%, suggesting there’s a lack of employers trying to entice workers with other […]

ADP’s Employment Report showed that private payrolls began 2024 slower than expected, as employers added just 107,000 new jobs in January. Most of the growth came in service-providing industries (+77K), with goods-producers adding the rest. Annual pay for job stayers increased by 5.2% while job changers saw an average increase of 7.2%, though these figures have […]

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that there were 353,000 jobs created in January, which was nearly double expectations. Revisions to November and December also added 126,000 jobs in those months combined. The unemployment rate held steady at 3.7%. What’s the bottom line? While the headline job growth figure for January appears strong on the surface, […]

The first reading of fourth quarter 2023 Gross Domestic Product (GDP) showed that the U.S. economy grew by 3.3%. While this is a decline from 4.9% in the third quarter, it was much stronger than estimates and due in large part to easing inflation and a strong pace of consumer spending. What’s the bottom line? While […]