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Initial Jobless Claims dropped by 2,000, landing at 220,000 for the latest week and remaining fairly stable overall. Continuing Jobless Claims saw a decrease as well, falling by 27,000 to 1.87 million. However, it’s worth noting that they’ve been hovering above 1.8 million since last June. What’s the bottom line? New unemployment claims continue at […]

Following a significant decrease in December, job openings rose in January from 7.5 million to 7.7 million, slightly surpassing expectations. This increase was particularly noticeable in the retail and finance sectors; however, professional and business services, as well as leisure and hospitality, experienced marked declines. Both the hiring rate of 3.4% and quits rate of […]

The Producer Price Index (PPI) remained stable from January to February, with the annual rate decreasing from 3.7% to 3.2%. This was aided by a 1.2% reduction in energy prices. Excluding the more volatile food and energy sectors, the Core PPI slipped by 0.1% month over month, while the year-over-year rate fell from 3.8% to […]

Following a surge in food and energy costs that drove inflation higher in January, February brought more encouraging data, with both the headline and core Consumer Price Index (CPI) readings falling below forecasts. Headline CPI rose by 0.2% month over month, while the year-over-year figure dipped from 3% to 2.8%. Core CPI, excluding food and […]

You don’t have to wait until National Chicken Noodle Soup Day on March 13 to enjoy this comforting and delicious recipe from The Food Network, perfect for serving 4 people. Begin by thinly slicing 1/2 medium onion, 1 small carrot, and 2 celery stalks. Place these in a medium pot with 2 sprigs of thyme, […]

In January, home prices across the nation saw modest increases. According to CoreLogic, there was a 0.04% rise and a 3.3%annual increase, while ICE reported a 0.12% rise and 3% annual growth. What’s the bottom line? CoreLogic anticipates that prices will remain steady in February, with a projected increase of 3.6% over the next year. […]

Initial jobless claims declined by 21,000 to 221,000 in the most recent week, falling below expectations. However, continuing jobless claims increased by 42,000 to 1.897 million, nearing a three-year high as they have remained above 1.8 million since last June. This suggests ongoing challenges in the labor market’s ability to effectively reintegrate job seekers. What’s […]

In February, private sector job growth fell short of expectations, with only 77,000 new positions created compared to the forecasted 140,000. This marks the lowest increase in job gains since July, attributed to losses in sectors such as trade and transportation, information, healthcare and education, and mining. Employment among small businesses decreased, reversing January’s gains. […]

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported the addition of 151,000 jobs in February, falling short of forecasts that anticipated 160,000 to 170,000 new positions. Revisions for December and January indicated a slight decrease of 2,000 jobs, while the unemployment rate increased from 4.0% to 4.1%. What’s the bottom line? Although the headline job figure […]

Your family and friends will enjoy this delicious Honey Vanilla Pound Cake, courtesy of the Food Network. It’s perfect for an afternoon snack, dessert, or to celebrate National Pound Cake Day on March 4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2 1/2-inch loaf pan by greasing […]

The second estimate for fourth quarter 2024 GDP indicates that the U.S. economy grew by 2.3%, matching the initial report. This followed growth of 1.6% in the first quarter, 3% in the second, and 3.1% in the third quarter last year. The Q4 increase was largely driven by rising government and consumer spending, tempered by […]

The Case-Shiller Home Price Index, considered the industry standard for measuring home value appreciation, reported a 0.5% increase in home prices nationwide from November to December after seasonal adjustments. On a year-over-year basis, home values in December rose 3.9%, building upon November’s 3.7% gain. The 10-city composite index posted a more robust 5.1% year-over-year increase, […]

Pending Home Sales fell for the second straight month, declining 4.6% from December to January, as reported by the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR). This metric reflects signed contracts on existing homes, which typically precede closings by one to two months, and serves as a key predictor of housing market performance. What’s the bottom line? […]

New home sales fell short of estimates in January, as signed contracts dropped 10.5% from December. This decline was partlyattributed to high interest rates and adverse winter weather, particularly in the South. However, the impact was mitigated by an upward revision to December’s sales figures. On a year-over-year basis, sales decreased by 1.1%. What’s the […]

The Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation metric, Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE), met projections for January.Headline PCE rose 0.3% from December, with the year-over-year rate falling from 2.6% to 2.5%. Core PCE, which excludes foodand energy price fluctuations, also increased 0.3% monthly, while the annual rate fell from an upwardly revised 2.9% to 2.6%,reaching one of the […]