Federal Reserve

Americans paid higher prices in November 2017 than a month earlier according to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.  This measure of inflation rose 0.4 percent in the period and has gained 2.2 percent in the past twelve months.  Core-CPI, which strips out volatile food and energy components, rose 0.1 percent in November and has gained 1.7 percent in the

Janet Yellen, the Chair of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, has very little explaining left to do.  She presided over her penultimate Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting, followed by a press conference; her final meeting, coming at the end of January, is not scheduled to include news organizations.

Economic output in America from July through September 2017 was even better than first counted.  With more complete data collected, the Bureau of Economic Analysis now estimates gross domestic product (GDP) grew 3.3 percent on an inflation-adjusted annualized basis during the third quarter of this year, upwardly revised from 3.0 percent in the earliest estimate.  Output improved by th

America’s output of physically made goods continued growing in October 2017 according to the latest data from the Federal Reserve’s measure of Industrial Production.  After two months of suppression caused by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, this cyclically sensitive indicator maintains its positive trend.  Notwithstanding the upward trajectory of the headline tally, details we

Economic output improved in September according to the Chicago Fed National Activity Index.  Results from this comprehensive study of the economy jumped to 0.17 from the downwardly revised count of minus 0.37 (originally minus 0.31) in August.  Despite the monthly turnaround, the three-month moving average stayed below zero and matched the prior period’s revised tally of minus 0

Industrial production was positive in the final month of the third quarter after pretty dismal showings in the prior two periods.  Output of all physically made goods increased 0.3 percent in September 2017 according to the Federal Reserve.  This uptick was not enough to recapture the losses from July and August.  July was downwardly revised to -0.6 percent (originally -0.1 perce

Industrial production was positive in the final month of the third quarter after pretty dismal showings in the prior two periods.  Output of all physically made goods increased 0.3 percent in September 2017 according to the Federal Reserve.  This uptick was not enough to recapture the losses from July and August.  July was downwardly revised to -0.6 percent (originally -0.1 perce

Industrial production was positive in the final month of the third quarter after pretty dismal showings in the prior two periods.  Output of all physically made goods increased 0.3 percent in September 2017 according to the Federal Reserve.  This uptick was not enough to recapture the losses from July and August.  July was downwardly revised to -0.6 percent (originally -0.1 perce

Price gains accelerated in September 2017 according to headline figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Consumer Price Index (CPI). Versus a month earlier, prices rose 0.5 percent, and this jump follows an increase of 0.4 percent in August. Compared to a year earlier, CPI is 2.2 percent higher, speeding up from 1.9 percent in the middle of the third quarter.

Prices paid by producers and wholesalers continued rising in September 2017 according to the Producer Price Index released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.  After increasing 0.2 percent in August, this measure of inflation advanced 0.4 percent to end the third quarter.  It has now increased 2.6 percent versus a year ago, the steepest annual increase since February 2012.  Costs