Economic data this week covered the consumer, industrial space and housing market, and continue to suggest the U.S. economy is only gradually losing momentum. We still view a recession is more likely than not by the end of the year, but there is no denying the underlying resiliency evident in the data.
For starters, consumers continue to spend. Retail sales rose 0.4% in April, and the control group measure, which excludes volatile categories, posted its second-largest gain in seven months. This measure feeds directly into the BEA's calculation of PCE in the GDP accounts and suggests consumer spending started the quarter on the right foot. But details were a bit mixed under the hood with only seven of the 13 retailer categories reporting a rise in April sales. Auto sales surprised to the downside, as previously released data on wholesale auto sales suggested a surge in April sales. As the following chart shows, in adjusting sales for inflation, the trend in sales has broadly moved sideways in recent months.
Like retail, auto sales played a role in manufacturing activity as well. Motor vehicle and parts production surged more in April alone than it did over the course of the past 12 months. Autos accounted for more than half of the 1% gain in April manufacturing. Excluding autos, manufacturing still rose by the most in four months and helped lift industrial production (IP). But after factoring in downward revisions to the prior two months, the level of IP was more or less in line with what was expected, which is to say essentially flat. IP is now roughly consistent with where it stood six months ago, signaling some stabilization in production after a weak start to the year.
Housing data also demonstrate some recent stabilization. Builder sentiment reached a 10-month high in May, according to the NAHB index, as buyer demand recovers and incentives are reigned in. Increased confidence is translating to activity. Total housing starts rose 2.2% to a 1.4 million-unit pace in April, with both single-family and multifamily starts advancing at a solid pace. Single-family construction now appears to be on the rebound, driven largely by a jump in construction in the West. Permits also notched a solid gain for single-family structures, though multifamily permits notched their second-straight decline and are on the slowest pace since July 2021. The pullback in multifamily permits comes as the apartment market begins to cool with a flood of new supply set to be delivered.
Existing home sales dipped 3.4% to a seasonally adjusted pace of 4.28 million in April, dropping for the second month in a row (chart). Low inventory and high mortgage rates continue to constrain the resale market. The drop in resales was broad-based as single-family homes, condos and co-ops all posted declines on the month. Existing sales weakened across nearly every region, with much of the weakness concentrated in the West. Despite the dip in the headline number, the sector may be stabilizing, as resales in April are now 7.0% above their recent low in January
Meanwhile, despite incoming data demonstrating an underlying resilience in economic growth, the Leading Economic Index (LEI) continues to show clear signs of recession. April marks the 10th straight month in which the six-month average change in the Leading Economic Index has been below a key recession threshold. We ultimately still expect the U.S. economy to slip into a mild recession before year-end as tighter policy weighs on activity and firms' ability to hire.
This Week's State Of The Economy - What Is Ahead? - 16 April 2021
Wells Fargo Economics & Financial Report / Apr 17, 2021
Data released this week continue to show that the economic recovery has gained momentum in March. The much anticipated consumer boom has arrived.
This Week's State Of The Economy - What Is Ahead? - 16 August 2019
Wells Fargo Economics & Financial Report / Aug 17, 2019
Markets gyrated this week as the spread between the ten- and two-year Treasury\'s turned negative for the first time since 2007. Financial markets seem to expect that the sharp slowdown in growth overseas will soon spread to the United States.
This Week's State Of The Economy - What Is Ahead? - 10 April 2020
Wells Fargo Economics & Financial Report / Apr 11, 2020
The Federal Reserve greatly expanded the collateral that it is willing to buy, further easing pressures in financial markets.
This Week's State Of The Economy - What Is Ahead? - 05 August 2022
Wells Fargo Economics & Financial Report / Aug 08, 2022
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported this morning that nonfarm payrolls increased 528,000 for the month of July, easily topping estimates, lowering the unemployment rate to 3.5%.
This Week's State Of The Economy - What Is Ahead? - 01 July 2022
Wells Fargo Economics & Financial Report / Jul 14, 2022
As with the Mets and Yankees when they ran into the Astros over the last couple days, consumers staying power is showing signs of running out as inflation persists and confidence moves sharply lower.
This Week's State Of The Economy - What Is Ahead? - 20 March 2020
Wells Fargo Economics & Financial Report / Mar 21, 2020
Daily life came to a screeching halt this week as governments, businesses and consumers took drastic steps to halt the COVID-19 pandemic.
This Week's State Of The Economy - What Is Ahead? - 23 July 2021
Wells Fargo Economics & Financial Report / Jul 30, 2021
In the biggest financial news this week not connected to college football conference realignment, July\'s NAHB Housing Market Index slipped one point to 80.
Economic Uncertainty Seems Removed Going Into The New Year 2020
Wells Fargo Economics & Financial Report / Dec 28, 2019
The U.S. economy continues to expand, albeit at a moderate pace. The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis reports U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) grew 2.1 percent in Q3/19.
This Week's State Of The Economy - What Is Ahead? - 08 November 2019
Wells Fargo Economics & Financial Report / Nov 09, 2019
Optimism soared this week on hopes of a forthcoming trade deal, as equity markets hit all-time highs and the yield curve steepened.
This Week's State Of The Economy - What Is Ahead? - 29 January 2021
Wells Fargo Economics & Financial Report / Feb 09, 2021
Economic data came in largely as expected this week and suggest continued economic recovery.
