This week's indicator performance presented mixed evidence of strength of the U.S. economy and the impact tightening monetary policy is having on key sectors.
Signaling slower growth rather than outright recession, industrial production regained its footing in September after declining in three of the prior four months. Total production rose 0.4% last month, as a matching gain in manufacturing and a 0.6% rise in mining more than offset a 0.3% slide in utilities. On broad-based strength, manufacturing output extended its growth streak to three months underpinned by solid business investment and demand for consumer goods. That said, the manufacturing sector is losing momentum. Manufacturing production increased at just a 1.9% annual rate in the third quarter after rising 3.6% in the second quarter.
Regional manufacturing surveys released this week support this loss of momentum. The Empire State and Philadelphia Fed surveys continued to signal contraction in early October as both headline indices remained in negative territory. Encouragingly, the surveys have been signaling less strain from supplier deliveries, reflecting, in part, softer demand, yet consistent with less upward pressure on prices. Expectations are high for manufacturing activity to start contracting in coming months as rising interest rates, consumers' spending changes from goods to services, and downturns in Europe and China collectively take a toll. Business surveys are picking up on this pessimism, as evidenced by the six-month ahead Empire State business conditions index falling to its second weakest reading since 2009 and the Philly Fed's future general activity index posting its fifth consecutive negative reading.
This Week's State Of The Economy - What Is Ahead? - 22 May 2020
Wells Fargo Economics & Financial Report / May 25, 2020
The re-opening of the country is getting underway, with all 50 states starting to roll back restrictions.
This Week's State Of The Economy - What Is Ahead? - 17 December 2021
Wells Fargo Economics & Financial Report / Dec 21, 2021
7 Interest Rate Watch for more detail. In other news, retail sales data disappointed as higher prices factor into spending and industrial activity continued to recover but remains beset by supply issues.
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.
The Regional Breakdown Of A Labor Market In Meltdown
Wells Fargo Economics & Financial Report / May 26, 2020
Employment fell in all 50 states and 43 states saw their unemployment rate rise to a record in April. The damage is already hard to fathom-a 28% unemployment rate in Nevada and still another month of job losses ahead.
This Week's State Of The Economy - What Is Ahead? - 18 November 2022
Wells Fargo Economics & Financial Report / Nov 21, 2022
The resiliency of the U.S. consumer was also on display, as total retail sales increased a stronger-than-expected 1.3% in October, boosted, in part, by a 1.3% jump in motor vehicles & parts and a 4.1% rise at gasoline stations.
This Week's State Of The Economy - What Is Ahead? - 01 May 2020
Wells Fargo Economics & Financial Report / May 04, 2020
U.S. GDP declined at an annualized rate of 4.8% in the first quarter, only a hint of what is to come in the second quarter.
This Week's State Of The Economy - What Is Ahead? - 09 September 2022
Wells Fargo Economics & Financial Report / Sep 10, 2022
The ISM services index came in stronger than expected, and the underlying details pointed to service sector resilience with business activity and new orders notching their highest reading this year.
This Week's State Of The Economy - What Is Ahead? - 03 September 2021
Wells Fargo Economics & Financial Report / Sep 10, 2021
e move into the Labor Day weekend celebrating the 235K jobs added in August, while simultaneously lamenting that it was about half a million jobs short of expectations.
This Week's State Of The Economy - What Is Ahead? - 04 November 2022
Wells Fargo Economics & Financial Report / Nov 07, 2022
Employers continued to add jobs at a steady clip in October, demonstrating the labor market remains tight and the FOMC will continue to tighten policy.
This Week's State Of The Economy - What Is Ahead? - 17 February 2023
Wells Fargo Economics & Financial Report / Feb 20, 2023
Inflation in the U.K. receded for the third straight month in January, with the headline rate coming in at 10.1% year-over-year. In bad news, this is still five times the Bank of England\'s 2% target.
