Bernanke Says US Economy Faces ‘Wile E. Coyote’ Moment in 2020
U.S. economic growth could face a challenging slowdown as the Trump Administration’s powerful fiscal stimulus fades after two years, according to former Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke.
Capital-Equipment Orders Rise in Sign of Resilient Demand
Orders placed with U.S. factories for business equipment rebounded in April even as the prior month’s figure was revised downward, indicating resilient demand at the start of the second quarter, Commerce Department figures showed May 25.
Many Americans Missing Solid Job Market’s Bounty, Fed Poll Shows
Many U.S. households remain in a precarious financial position despite unemployment falling to the lowest level in years, a new Federal Reserve survey shows.
Consumer Comfort Index Declines for Fourth Straight Week
Americans’ sentiment fell for a fourth straight week as still-rising gasoline prices drove a measure of the buying climate down by the most in eight months, the Bloomberg Consumer Comfort Index showed May 17.
Trump’s China Tariffs Will Pinch US Consumers, Retailers Warn
Americans will pay more for everything from big-screen TVs to school supplies if the Trump administration follows through on threats to slap tariffs on Chinese imports, U.S. retailers warned.
Factory Production Shows Broad-Based Gain Outside Autos
U.S. factory production regained its footing in April to push capacity utilization to the highest since 2015, indicating the industry will support economic growth this quarter, Federal Reserve data showed Mahy 16.
Retail Sales Gain Points to Healthier Second Quarter
U.S. retail sales rose in broad fashion last month as bigger after-tax paychecks helped compensate for rising fuel costs, signaling consumer demand was off to a firm start this quarter.
US Posts Record Monthly Budget Surplus as Economy Picks Up
The United States posted its largest monthly budget surplus on record in April, which the Congressional Budget Office said reflected stronger economic activity over the past year.
Consumer Prices Rise Less Than Forecast as Autos Drop
U.S. consumer prices rose by less than forecast in April as costs for automobiles and airfares declined, reducing chances that inflation will run significantly above the Federal Reserve’s target in coming months.
American Factories Struggle to Increase Productivity
The United States has added 1.2 million jobs in manufacturing over the past eight years. Before you cheer for the revival of American manufacturing, consider the reason for all that job growth: abysmal productivity performance.