US Data Response Industrial Production (Jul.) The soft July industrial production data show that the manufacturing recession continued into the third quarter. But the latest surveys provide some reason for optimism and, as the retail sales data... 15th August 2019 · 2 mins read
US Economics Update Tariff delay not an olive branch to China The three-month delay to the imposition of tariffs on more than half of the $300bn of Chinese imports, originally scheduled to take effect next month, is obviously designed to avoid a politically... 13th August 2019 · 3 mins read
US Data Response Consumer Prices (Jul.) The stronger than expected 0.3% m/m rise in core consumer prices in July, which followed a similar-sized gain in June, suggests that underlying inflationary pressures may not be as subdued as is... 13th August 2019 · 2 mins read
US Economics Update Currency manipulator label points to further escalation The Trump administration’s move to label China a currency manipulator may have few practical implications, but it underscores the speed at which tensions are now escalating. The key risk is that the... 6th August 2019 · 3 mins read
US Economics Weekly Trump ramps up pressure on the Fed Despite cutting rates by 25bp this week, the Fed gave no indication that it is lining up another cut soon or that this will mark the start of the extended easing cycle investors are hoping for. But... 2nd August 2019 · 6 mins read
US Data Response Employment Report (Jul.) The 164,000 gain in non-farm payrolls in July confirms that employment growth is trending lower, but it also suggests that the economy is still coping reasonably well amidst concerns over weaker... 2nd August 2019 · 2 mins read
US Economics Update Trump brings trade tensions back to boiling point The announcement by President Donald Trump of further tariffs on Chinese imports has rattled the markets, but we have long suspected that it was only a matter of time before the trade dispute... 2nd August 2019 · 4 mins read
US Data Response ISM Manufacturing Index (Jul.) The further decline in the ISM manufacturing index to a three-year low of 51.2 in July, from 51.7, confirms that the downturn in the factory sector continued into the third quarter, and suggests that... 1st August 2019 · 2 mins read
US Fed Watch Insurance cut won’t prevent further slowdown The Fed is likely to cut interest rates by 25bp next week rather than the 50bp that some have been calling for. Fed officials will hope that move provides enough “insurance” against the downside risks... 24th July 2019 · 7 mins read
US Economics Update Does the Fed actually need to cut rates? Despite the run of stronger activity data in recent weeks, the deterioration in the survey evidence, lingering uncertainty over trade policy and the prospect of a prolonged period of below-target... 18th July 2019 · 3 mins read
US Chart Pack Economy holding up on eve of rate cut The Fed is almost certain to cut interest rates at the FOMC meeting later this month, despite some better news on the real economy. Payroll employment growth was much stronger than expected in June... 17th July 2019 · 9 mins read
US Data Response Retail Sales (June) The 0.7% m/m surge in underlying retail sales in June, along with upward revisions to previous months’ gains, suggests that real consumption growth accelerated to 4.0% annualised in the second quarter... 16th July 2019 · 2 mins read
US Data Response Consumer Prices (Jun.) The stronger 0.3% m/m gain in core consumer prices in June won’t prevent the Fed from cutting interest rates later this month and, in any case, we doubt that strength will be sustained. 11th July 2019 · 2 mins read
US Economics Update Lower rates failing to boost business investment The latest NFIB and JOLT surveys point to a contraction in business equipment investment and suggest that labour market conditions are starting to soften. 9th July 2019 · 2 mins read
US Economics Weekly Powell may temper market expectations of rate cuts The data this week were consistent with a continued slowdown in economic growth, but don’t yet look weak enough to convince the Fed to cut interest rates immediately. We suspect that Chair Jerome... 5th July 2019 · 7 mins read
US Data Response Employment Report (Jun.) The 224,000 gain in non-farm payrolls in June was much stronger than the consensus estimate of 160,000 and would seem to make a mockery of market expectations that the Fed will cut interest rates by... 5th July 2019 · 2 mins read
