Retail Sales

April 15, 2024 Retail sales rose 0.7% in March after climbing 0.9% in February and declining 0.9% in January.  It is true that the sales gains in February and March were robust and some economists are now suggesting that the next move by the Fed could be to raise...

The Beat Goes On

July 7, 2023 At midyear 2023 the economists who suggest that the economy will slip into recession in the second half of the year must be feeling nervous.  The service sector of the economy rebounded in June.  The employment report for June was solid with a 209...

Barking Up the Wrong Tree

May 5, 2023 Data for the second quarter are beginning to filter in.  One has to squint closely to find signs of further slowing in the pace of economic activity.  Payroll employment rose 253 thousand in April.  The unemployment rate declined 0.1% to 3.4%.  Car sales...