Topic: Business Conditions

nowhiring

Strong April Jobs Report Reduces Recession Fears

– May 3, 2019

Nonfarm payrolls rose by 263,000 in April. Two strong monthly gains following a disappointing increase in February shows the labor market remains healthy and will likely ease fears of recession.

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ISMmanufacturing

Manufacturing Expansion Slowed in April

– May 1, 2019

The Manufacturing Purchasing Managers Index posted its lowest reading since November 2016 and extends an eight-month trend of decelerating growth. Mixed economic data continue to support a high degree of caution amid slow economic expansion.

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cashregister

Strong GDP Headline Masks First-Quarter Weakness

– April 29, 2019

A strong headline gain in first-quarter growth in real gross domestic product masked the poor performance of domestic demand.

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manufacturing

Durable-Goods Orders Show Strength in March

– April 25, 2019

Durable-goods orders posted a solid gain in March, led by record-high orders for core capital goods excluding aircraft. Today’s reports suggest a cautiously optimistic outlook.

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SOLD

Single-Family Housing Activity Shows Some Life

– April 23, 2019

Home sales have rebound in recent months. However, there is little evidence to support an expectation for a significant acceleration in housing activity in the coming months and quarters.

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CheckOutLine

Retail Sales Growth Rebounds in March While Initial Claims Hold Near Record Low

– April 18, 2019

Retail-sales and initial-claims data show the economy may be gaining some momentum after a patch of weakness. However, continued uncertainty around U.S. economic policies and ongoing risks in the global economy remain significant concerns.

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watchingmarkets

April Business Conditions Monthly

– April 16, 2019

AIER’s Leading Indicators index dropped 17 points to 25 in March, the lowest level since June 2009. The Roughly Coincident Indicators index and the Lagging Indicators index also fell, to 83 and 67, respectively (see chart). March is the third consecuti …

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consumeraction

Consumer Sentiment Fell Slightly in Early April but Remains at a High Level

– April 12, 2019

Consumer sentiment fell slightly in early April but remains at broadly favorable levels. Caution regarding the outlook is still warranted but the trends for the most recent data appear marginally more favorable.

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jobstalk

Initial Claims Drop to the Lowest Level Since 1969

– April 11, 2019

Initial claims for unemployment insurance fell to the lowest level since 1969, providing compelling evidence that the recent period of weakness may be passing.

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Private Sector Job Gains Returned to Trend, Supporting a Cautiously Positive Outlook

– April 5, 2019

Amid several months of mixed results in economic data, rebounding job creation in March helps tip the scales in favor of cautious optimism for continued economic expansion.

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trucking

Services Sector Expands at a Moderate Pace in March

– April 3, 2019

Nonmanufacturing activity expanded at a slower pace in March. The results are consistent with a range of economic data that point to uneven growth, but they do not suggest a recession is imminent.

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manufacturing

Manufacturing-Sector Growth Continued in March

– April 1, 2019

The Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index paints a modestly positive picture of the manufacturing sector in March, offsetting the weak report on February retail sales. The outlook is for ongoing economic expansion, but heightened caution is warranted.

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