Preview: Japan’s Wobbly 3rd Straight Economic Growth Seen Intact in Revised Q4 GDP Data but Sluggish Consumption, Exports Point to Flat Q1 Performance
By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Lukewarm economic growth lingered during much of 2024 in Japan after three quarters of drops but consumption is chilled by high living costs and the outlook for the world’s top two economies is clouded by Trump tariffs, pointing to a flat performance in the first quarter of 2025, with the […]
Powell Repeats Economy ‘In Good Place’: FOMC Needn’t Be in Hurry To Ease
– Largely Brushes Off Signs of Softening, Uncertainty For Now – Economy Doesn’t Need Fed to Do Anything: ‘We Can And We Should Wait’ – Other Fed Officials Sounding More Concerned About Economic Outlook By Steven K. Beckner (MaceNews) – Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell continued Friday to say that the Fed need not be […]
ISM: US Services Sector Expands for 8th Straight Month in February While Concerns Over Trump Tariffs Darken Outlook
–ISM Services Index at 53.5 in February Vs. 52.8 in January, Above Median Forecast 52.7–ISM’s Miller: Services PMI Has Been Trending Down but More Stable Now, Points to Sustained Growth on Year–Miller: Jump in ISM February Manufacturing Prices Paid Index Amid Higher Commodities Markets Not Yet Feeding Through to Services Prices By Max Sato (MaceNews) […]
TARIFFS STATE OF PLAY: Confusion as Tariffs and Tariff Threats Multiply
WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – As one round of tariffs took effect Tuesday and more were threatened, rampant uncertainty permeated plunging U.S. stock markets while interest rates continued to dramatically ease. Analysts found themselves giving contradictory assessments on the business channels as the probabilities for more Federal Reserve rate cuts this year were coupled with dire predictions […]
US ISM Manufacturing Stays Just Above Neutral Line in February after Ending 2 Years of Contraction in January as Trump Tariffs Trigger Greater Uncertainties
–ISM Manufacturing Index at 50.3 Vs. 50.9 in January, Below Consensus (50.5)–ISM’s Fiore: February Report ‘Overshadowed’ by Tariff Talk among Firms–Fiore: Lower New Orders, Higher Inventories, Slower Supply Deliveries ‘One-Month Blip, Might Clear Up in March or April–Fiore: This Doesn’t Indicate Decline in Overall ISM Manufacturing Activity By Max Sato (MaceNews) – U.S. manufacturing activity […]