BLS

Normally around this time in February, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) releases information on our nation’s Productivity and Unit Labor Costs from the fourth quarter of the prior year.   Not this time.  With another government shutdown already looming, economic data continues suffering from the last time portions of the federal budget went unfunded.  In the meanti

Normally around this time in February, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) releases information on our nation’s Productivity and Unit Labor Costs from the fourth quarter of the prior year.   Not this time.  With another government shutdown already looming, economic data continues suffering from the last time portions of the federal budget went unfunded.  In the meanti

Prices paid by producers and wholesalers for final demand goods and services fell 0.2 percent in December 2018 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Producer Price Index (PPI).  This decline followed upticks of 0.6 percent and 0.1 percent in October and November respectively.  With all of the months counted, PPI rose 2.5 percent last year, matching 2017’s gain.

America kept adding jobs in September 2018 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.  Their employment situation report tallied 134,000 net new jobs in the period.  Of course, this uptick is well off the average of the prior three months of over 214,000 and is the weakest gain in twelve months.  However, July was revised higher by 18,000 and August received a large upward revi

America’s employment situation continues to be one of the most robust indicators Atlas watches.  Another 157,000 net new jobs were added to the economy in July 2018 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.  This increase came on the heels of strong releases in May and June; adding to their strength, both of these two months were upwardly revised as a combined 59,000 more job