February 14, 2025 United States: US Retail Sales Drop Broadly in Month Marked by Fires, Storms US retail sales fell in January by more than forecast in a month marked by severe winter weather and deadly wildfires. The value of retail purchases, not adjusted for inflation, decreased 0.9% after an upwardly revised 0.7%
February 13, 2025 United States: US Wholesale Inflation Exceeds Forecast on Higher Food, Energy US wholesale prices picked up in January on higher food and energy costs, highlighting only limited progress on inflation ahead of tariffs imposed by the Trump administration. The producer price index for final demand rose 0.4% from a month
February 12, 2025 United States: US Core Inflation Rose 0.4% in January, Topping Forecasts Underlying US inflation last month rose by more than forecast, supporting the Federal Reserve’s cautious approach to lowering interest rates. The so-called core consumer price index — which excludes food and energy costs — increased 0.4% in January after
February 11, 2025 United States: US Small-Business Optimism Retreats From Highest Since 2018 US small-business optimism declined in January from a more than six-year high and a gauge of uncertainty climbed as companies weighed Trump administration policies and the Federal Reserve’s pause on interest-rate cuts. The National Federation of Independent Business optimism index fell 2.3
February 10, 2025 United States: Dollar, Gold Rise After Trump’s Latest Trade Salvo The dollar strengthened and gold hit a record high as President Donald Trump’s plan for steel and aluminium import tariffs brought fresh disruption to markets. US stock futures signalled a rebound from Friday’s slump. The yen and the Canadian dollar
February 7, 2025 United States: US Job Growth Slowed in January After 2024 Downward Revision US job growth moderated in January after annual revisions from the government revealed less vigor in the labour market last year than previously thought. Nonfarm payrolls increased by 143,000 last month after a revised 307,000 gain in December,
February 6, 2025 United States: US Initial Jobless Claims Pick Up, Still Near Pre-Covid Levels Initial applications for US unemployment benefits picked up last week but remained relatively subdued. New claims increased by 11,000 to 219,000 in the week ended Feb. 1. The median forecast in a Bloomberg survey of economists called for 213,000
February 5, 2025 United States: US Firms Add 183,000 Jobs in ADP Data, More Than Forecast Employment at US companies picked up in January by more than forecast, highlighting resilient job growth despite mounting uncertainty. Private payrolls rose by 183,000 last month following a upwardly revised 176,000 increase in December, according to ADP
February 4, 2025 United States: US Trims Borrowing Estimate for First Quarter to $815 Billion The US Treasury pared back its estimate for federal borrowing for the current quarter, while reiterating its previous assumption for cash balance at the end of March — assuming that Congress acts to raise or suspend the debt limit.
February 3, 2025 United States: Bond Traders Warn of Inflation Shock as US Yield Curve Flattens US bond markets are flashing a warning to US President Donald Trump that his move to unleash tariffs on top trading partners risks fueling inflation and stymieing growth. Short-end Treasury yields rose as much as eight basis
