Inside the Front Door of the Housing Market Home sales have fallen sharply over the last three years, with sales near the levels we last saw in 2008, according to the National Association of Realtors. Yet, unlike in 2008, housing prices haven’t collapsed this time...

A Quirky Jobs Report The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that nonfarm payrolls rose 147,000 in June, topping the forecast of 110,000 (Wall Street Journal), while the unemployment rate fell to 4.1% in June from 4.2% in May. Private sector jobs rose a more muted...

The Fed Hits Snooze on Policy Moves It came as no surprise that the Federal Reserve maintained its benchmark rate—the fed funds rate—at 4.25% to 4.50% during last Wednesday’s meeting. Despite the moderation in the rate of inflation, central bankers didn’t hint at any...

Tariffs MIA in Latest CPI; Renewed Geopolitical Instability Inflation remained mild in May, showing little upward pressure. According to last week’s report from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose just 0.1% for the month, while the...

Trade Deficit Cut in Half The US Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) reported that the US trade deficit fell a whopping 55% in April to $61.6 billion. In March, the grade gap stood at a record $138.3 billion. April exports rose $8.3 billion to a record $289.4 billion....

From Wallets to Wall Street: Why We Hate Inflation Why is inflation widely unpopular among the public? Inflation erodes the value of money. Inflation introduces uncertainty about future prices, making it harder for households to plan budgets, save for long-term goals,...