US Data Response Durable Goods (Sep.) Despite the better than expected 3.7% m/m jump in durable goods orders in September, which was almost entirely due to a bounce back in the volatile aircraft category, it appears that third-quarter... 25th October 2013 · 1 min read
Global Markets Update Don't write off the dollar The crisis over the debt ceiling, the prospect of “QEternity”, and some recent evidence that foreign investors have been selling US assets have all revived talk that the dollar is facing a prolonged... 25th October 2013 · 1 min read
US Fed Watch QEternity? The two-week government shutdown means that the Fed is almost certain to leave the pace of its monthly asset purchases unchanged at its two-day FOMC meeting, which concludes on 30th October. The... 24th October 2013 · 1 min read
US Data Response International Trade (Aug.) The monthly trade deficit was basically unchanged at $38.8bn in August, suggesting that net external trade had a neutral impact on overall third-quarter GDP growth, which we estimate was near 2.0%... 24th October 2013 · 1 min read
Canada Economics Update Bank of Canada throws in towel The Bank of Canada's decision to downgrade its economic outlook and drop its vague tightening bias supports our view that if there is any change in monetary policy over the near-term, it would be to... 23rd October 2013 · 1 min read
US Chart Pack Policy uncertainty will persist for some time Congress has thankfully agreed to reopen the Federal government and raise the debt ceiling, but the short-term fix means that fiscal uncertainty will continue to act as a drag on the economic recovery... 23rd October 2013 · 1 min read
Canada Data Response Retail Sales (Aug.) The moderate increase in August retail sales volumes, after earlier reports showing unimpressive wholesale and manufacturing figures for that month, suggest that the economy might have struggled to... 22nd October 2013 · 1 min read
Canada Data Response Retail Sales (Aug.) The moderate increase in August retail sales volumes, after earlier reports showing unimpressive wholesale and manufacturing figures for that month, suggest that the economy might have struggled to... 22nd October 2013 · 1 min read
US Economics Update Monetary Indicators Monitor (Sep 13.) Our M3* measure of broad money, which replicates the series discontinued by the Fed, continued to grow at a healthy annual rate of nearly 6% in September. But the longer the Fed delays the tapering of... 22nd October 2013 · 1 min read
US Data Response Employment Report (Sep 13.) Despite the further decline in the unemployment rate to a five-year low of 7.2% in September, from 7.3%, the disappointing 148,000 increase in non-farm payrolls last month will reinforce market... 22nd October 2013 · 1 min read
US Housing Market Focus Are higher mortgage rates a bigger threat than we thought? The steady rise in mortgage interest rates has weighed moderately on mortgage applications for home purchase and total home sales. Any fresh increase in mortgage rates would take a similar toll. While... 21st October 2013 · 1 min read
US Housing Market Data Response Existing Home Sales (Sep. 13) The decline in existing home sales in September was driven by the steady rise in mortgage interest rates seen over the preceding months. If the timelier new home sales figures are any guide, this set... 21st October 2013 · 1 min read
Canada Economics Weekly Is business investment turning a corner? We estimate that stronger business investment growth of close to 7.0% annualised helped to boost third-quarter GDP growth, possibly slightly above 2.0% annualised. It is important to stress, however... 21st October 2013 · 1 min read
US Economics Weekly New budget committee not necessarily DOA The new budget conference committee has been written off as dead on arrival by most people before it even starts work. Given the dysfunctional state of Congress and the failure of the deficit... 21st October 2013 · 1 min read
US Economics Update Monetary policy now a slave to fiscal uncertainty Even if Congress manages to keep the Federal government open and raise the debt ceiling next year, the continuing fiscal uncertainty is only going to make the Fed's job that much harder. That fiscal... 18th October 2013 · 1 min read
Canada Data Response Consumer Price Index (Sep.) September's slightly weaker than expected core inflation reading is consistent with the increase in economic slack over the past year. With the Bank of Canada's export-led recovery hopes likely to... 18th October 2013 · 1 min read
