What needs to be watched is the wage situation. Was the jump in wages a one-shot wonder or does it portend accelerating labor costs? That is the unknown right now. |
What we are basically looking at is an economy that is not very different from the economy last year. Depending on your industry and depending on your business, if you liked last year, you will probably like this year. |
What we are seeing in the housing market is an orderly decline. |
What we're seeing is the delayed impact of the movement from hearing about layoffs to the actual layoffs, and ultimately that effect on households, which are beginning to see some people lose their jobs, |
Whatever impacts Katrina had in September were wiped out in October and the nation's service and construction industries are moving ahead smartly, |
When [Fed policy-makers] meet on Oct. 28, they will be looking at a broad-based economic expansion. Will they admit to that? ... They are going to have to face reality soon and become tilted toward growth and at least neutral on inflation. |
When energy costs stop falling, we may not be looking at such wonderful numbers, ... For now, the Fed can push inflation into the background. But when the economy is back up and running, they may want to revisit the 'inflation is licked' thing. |
When the heating bills hit, retail activity could become problematic. We are setting up for a slow fourth quarter. |
While the rise in core wholesale prices was a bit higher than expected, inflation is not a worry as productivity gains will overwhelm the modest increase in input costs, |
While wages didn't rise exceedingly rapidly, the low (jobless) rate is a warning that labor costs are probably going to increase further. |
While we can be somewhat blase about goods [prices], at least for a little while longer, we cannot conclude that retail inflation is anywhere near under control. |
Wholesale prices are going nowhere. We don't have deflation, but clearly there is no reason to expect prices to jump. |
With confidence rebounding, that tells me the holiday shopping season could be a lot better than the nattering nabobs of negativity have been saying, |
With consumers not spending, is it any surprise that the manufacturing sector has stumbled? |
With consumers spending a little less and business investment likely to slow, that will translate to a bit slower growth for factories. |