Bureau of Labor Statistics

Last week in this space Atlas noted the dramatic revisions to employment figures originally published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).  Click here to revisit it.

Our nation is in the midst of history.  We are under 80 days from the next election, including that of the future President of the United States.  Campaigns are in full swing, and so is story telling.  History is being told with a bit of revisionist flair, not unlike prior campaigns filled with promises and less-than-accurate recollections of earlier accomplishments.

Each month the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) puts out their Employment Situation report.  Regular reader’s saw the Atlas note on it yesterday morning.  This report covers two surveys: households and payrolls.  Our nation’s unemployment rate is derived from the household survey.  Each month the BLS lobs a call to 60,000 homes or so and asks those willing to ans

Prices paid by producers and wholesalers rose marginally in February 2019 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.  Their Producer Price Index rose 0.1 percent after declining a similar amount in both December and January.  Year-over-year, this price proxy is up 1.9 percent, declining modestly from 2.0 percent in January. 

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.

Prices fell for consumers during March 2018 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Consumer Price Index.  Versus a month earlier, this popular measure of inflation fell 0.1 percent after rising 0.2 percent in February.  Despite the monthly decline, the year-over-year statistic increased to 2.4 percent from 2.2 percent.

Prices paid by producers and wholesalers rose in November according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.  Their Producer Price Index (PPI) increased 0.4 percent in the penultimate month alone.  This rapid monthly move pushed the year-over-year trend to 3.1 percent, up from 2.8 percent in October.