It's extremely important. I think it's going to have an important bearing on what the Fed decides to do with its monetary policy. |
It's very viable to build temporary facilities for things like cycling and swimming. |
Low claims for unemployment insurance suggest that demand for labor is strong, and thus non-farm payrolls should expand briskly. |
Manufacturing was going strong before Katrina hit and the ISM report told us Katrina didn't have much effect on activity across the nation. The economy is likely to remain on a solid growth track. |
More than ever before, people are looking to the stock market as the key to the economic recovery. |
Mortgage rates have increased an additional 35 basis points from their average in the first quarter, |
Mortgage rates have moved lower recently and housing could respond in coming months. But the latest information from this cyclical area shows some moderation. |
The consumer sector has been among the strongest in the economy and I think that's the area that (Fed Chairman Alan) Greenspan and company are really worried about. |
The consumer sector has been on of the strongest in the economy, and that's the sector that (Federal Reserve chairman Alan) Greenspan worries about. |
The decline was sharper than expected, but the reading was still respectable and in line with the averages that were in place right before the hurricane hit in late August. |
The fact that this gain occurred in a month when sales also increased implies it was intended inventory building. If firms had wanted to cut inventories, they could have used the increase in sales as an opportunity to cut further. |
The Fed will be encouraged by this, and it dampens somewhat the probability of a Fed easing, ... but I would still look for another move in December. |
The jump in energy prices during July and August represent a shock that could slow consumer spending and economic activity. |
The new figures will reinforce the views now emerging among policy-makers that the economy has more inflation resistance than in the past. The gains also dampen the likelihood of (Fed interest rate) adjustments down the road. However, the new data does not assure that the Fed is done for this cycle. |
The numbers recently are suggesting that we're closer to absorbing most of the impact we've seen from Asia. |