Tag: the line
-
The Line: Consumer Prices Up 3.8% from a Year Ago
This week, The Line looks at prices and spending, which go together like milk and cookies. Consumer Prices Up 3.8% from a Year Ago The consumer price index rose 0.6% in April and was 3.8% higher than a year ago. The 3.8% annual increase in headline CPI was the largest in almost three years. The biggest inflation…
-
The Line: Employment Rose by 115,000 Last Month
Today, we have the April jobs report courtesy of my old employer, the BLS. Employment Rose by 115,000 Last Month Another month, another blow away jobs number. Here are the details: After ping ponging since last May, the US has had back-to-back strong months of job growth. In other good labor market news, initial claims for unemployment recently fell…
-
The Line: Economic Growth Picked up in 1Q26
Today, we have the latest on GDP and PCE from the BEA. If you know what all those letters mean you’re either an economist or read this column every week. Welcome to the three-letter edition of The Line. Economic Growth Picked up in 1Q26 Gross domestic product, which is the value of all the goods and services produced in the US, rose…
-
The Line: Say Less Fed
This week, we love what Kevin Warsh said about members of the Fed speaking too much. Welcome to the “loose lips sink ships” edition of The Line. Say Less Fed No, I’m not trying to show my knowledge of the latest slang, just saying I want the Federal Reserve to speak less. President Trump’s nominee for the next chair of the Fed agrees…
-
The Line: Consumer Prices Up 2.4% from a Year Ago
While today is Friday the 13th, we promise not to scare you in this edition of The Line. Consumer Prices Up 2.4% From a Year Ago The consumer price index rose 0.3% in February and was 2.4% higher than a year ago. Both these figures matched expectations, so this report is good news. Core CPI, which excludes food and…
-
The Line: Private Sector Employment Rose by Just 22,000 in January
It’s the first Friday of the month, which usually means a BLS jobs report. However, since the government shut down for a few days that report won’t come out until next week. Luckily for us ADP came to the rescue yet again, with their January Employment Report. Private Sector Employment Rose by Just 22,000 in…
-
The Line: The Fed Leaves Rates Alone
This week, we have the latest from the Fed and tell you why Americans shouldn’t be so pessimistic about the economy. The Fed Leaves Rates Alone The Federal Reserve made no change to the federal funds rate at their meeting this week, a move that surprised nobody, even Gomer Pyle. The Fed summed up their thinking this way: “Available indicators suggest that…
-
The Line: Mortgage Rates Remain New Three-Year Low
This week, we present the latest on mortgage rates, home sales, and the value of property in New York City Mortgage Rates Remain New Three-Year Low The average 30-year conforming mortgage rate ticked up to 6.09% this week, slightly higher than the previous week but still near a three-year low. Rates began to rise on Monday, due to tensions…
-
The Line: Inflation Lower than Expected in December
There was a lot of economic data released this week, so welcome to another lightning-round edition of The Line. Inflation Lower than Expected in December The core consumer price index, which excludes food and energy prices, rose 0.2% in December and was 2.6% higher than a year ago. Both figures were slightly below forecast, which was…
-
The Line: Job Growth Lower than Expected in December
For the first time in a few months, we have a jobs report on the first Friday of the month. Welcome to the “back to normal” edition of The Line. Job Growth Lower than Expected in December That headline really tells you all you need to know, but here are some specifics: To sum up,…