DATA FLASH: RETAIL SALES GROWTH SLOWS, UP 0.3% IN OCTOBER

–Retail Sales Ex-Motor Vehicles Rise Only 0.3%; Clothing Sales Reverse–Industrial Production Jumps By 1.1% as Utilities Production Rebounds–Business Inventories Up 0.7% in September, Business Sales Up 0.6% By Kevin Kastner WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – Retail sales rose only modestly in October, a much smaller increase than in previous months, the Commerce Department reported Tuesday. Total retail […]

STATUS CHECK COMMENTARY- TESLA NEWS VS MODERNA NEWS – A TIE?

WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – The following is Monday’s status check of developments in the U.S. that can influence economic, health and political outcomes. Was the big news of the day Moderna’s 94.5% efficacious vaccine candidate, sending that company’s stock up almost 10%, or Tesla being granted membership in the S&P 500 club beginning  Dec. 21, an […]

ANALYSIS: JAPAN FACES SLOW RIDE BACK TO PRE-COVID LEVEL OUTPUT

By Max Sato (MaceNews) – With luck, Japan’s economy has recovered about half of lost output amid the global pandemic and its momentum is lingering into the current quarter, but it is likely to lose steam in the New Year and could contract again. For an economy heavily dependent on China as a consumption and […]

JAPAN Q3 GDP RECOVERS HALF OF PANDEMIC-CAUSED RECORD PLUNGE IN Q2

By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japan’s economy for the July-September quarter surged 5.0% on quarter, or an annualized 21.4%, led by a rebound in net exports and consumer spending, but it only recovered just over a half of a record plunge in April-June amid the pandemic-triggered slowdown, Cabinet Office data released Monday showed. The first […]

STATUS CHECK COMMENTARY- DIVERSITY OF OPINION OR MUTUAL HATRED?

WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – The following is Friday’s status check of developments in the U.S. that can influence economic, health and political outcomes. Quote of the week: “You know what’s really uncomfortable and annoying? When you die.” That’s New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, of course. The quote has been played through the day cablewise so it’s […]

JAPAN Q3 GDP FORECAST TO SHOW SOME RECOVERY FROM Q2 PLUNGE

By Max Sato (MaceNews) – Japan’s gross domestic product for the July-September quarter is forecast by economists to show a 4.4% rise on quarter, or an annualized 19.0%, led by a rebound in net exports and consumer spending, recovering about half of the 7.9% plunge (28.1% annualized) in April-June caused by the pandemic. The median […]

DATA PREVIEW: RETAIL SALES PAYBACK DUE AFTER BRISK SEPTEMBER

By Kevin Kastner WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – A surprise jump in September retail sales, led by a surge in motor vehicle sales, was a blip in what appears to be a continued slowing trend in sales growth. October retail sales should rise only modestly when released next Tuesday following an outsized 1.9% jump in September. While […]

NY FED’S WILLIAMS DOWNPLAYS MARKET TALK OF INFLATION RESURGENCE

By Laurie Laird LONDON (MaceNews) – A key U.S. rate setter Friday poured cold water on recent market chatter of an uptick in inflation, predicting a slowdown of the economic recovery which is likely to keep a lid on price pressures.  Growth “in the fourth quarter and maybe into next year will slow somewhat,” said John […]

STATUS CHECK COMMENTARY- ELVIS IS LEAVING THE BUILDING – NOW WHAT?

WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – The following is Thursday’s status check of developments in the U.S. that can influence economic, health and political outcomes. A day like other days since the election, a president retweeting  millions of Trump votes were “deleted” and Twitter tagging that and others as “disputed.” The retweet was from a posting by the […]

ECB, BOE SEE NO SILVER BULLET IN COVID VACCINE

–Both CenBanks Expected to Adjust Policy in December –Fed’s Powell Sees More Tech-Oriented, Less Job-Oriented Recovery By Laurie Laird LONDON (MaceNews) – Europe’s top central bankers welcomed the positive news on a Covid vaccine unveiled earlier this week, but warned that the region faces more economic pain before an inoculation becomes widely available. European Central […]