DATA FLASH: US INITIAL CLAIMS STILL ELEVATED AS BACKLOGS CONTINUE

–Initial Claims Fall By 603,000 to 3.839 Mln; Continuing Claims Not Peaked–Personal Income Down 2.0%; PCE Plunges 7.5%; Core PCE Prices -0.1%–Employ Costs Accelerated in 1Q; Chicago PMI 35.4 By Kevin Kastner WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – Initial claims fell by 603,000 to 3.839 million in the April 25 week, ahead of the 3.50 million level expected, […]

IEA: DOUR ENERGY DEMAND OUTLOOK, REBOUND HINGES ON LOCKDOWN LENGTH

WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – Global energy demand will drop by 6% in 2020 – far outstripping the decline witnessed after the 2008 global financial crisis, and a rebound will be heavily-dependent on how long measures to contain the coronavirus pandemic remain in place, the International Energy Agency said Thursday. The group’s 2020 Global Energy Review said […]

WHITE HOUSE WATCH COMMENTARY: STATES BLAST AHEAD TO ‘PHASE ZERO’

By Denny Gulino WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – At last, just one more day of the infernal White House guidelines before they “fade out” and the new guidelines for reopening take over, the ones lots of states are already ignoring. Yes, 18 or 19 states are still sticking with strict stay-at-home orders but they’ll come along soon. […]

FOMC, CHAIR POWELL HOLDING ON TIGHT, ALL IN FOR DURATION

–‘Not Going To Run Out of Money’ –Time to Use the ‘Great Fiscal Power’ Of the Country By Denny Gulino WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – The Federal Open Market Committee, echoed by Federal Reserve Chair Jay Powell, Wednesday signaled only firm determination to fight the damage from the economic shutdown, whatever it takes, reassuring the markets, Wall […]

DATA FLASH: US 1ST QTR GDP CONTRACTS BY 4.8%; PCE PLUNGES ON SOCIAL DISTANCING

–Business Investment Hit by COVID Impact, Residential Investment Soared –Imports -15.3%; Price Index +1.3% By Kevin Kastner WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – The U.S. economy contracted in the first quarter, as growth in January and February was more than wiped out by business shutdowns late in March, a trend that will likely carry over into the second […]

WHITE HOUSE WATCH COMMENTARY: STRUCTURAL CHANGE NOT ALWAYS INTENTIONAL

By Denny Gulino WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – Huge disruptions, pandemics and wars, can cause fundamental changes down the line that were not anticipated and which were hard to recognize at the time. Which brings us to the Federal Reserve in this time of crisis. Wednesday afternoon Chairman Jerome Powell will be explaining to the world the […]

DATA FLASH: US APRIL CONFIDENCE FELL FURTHER, BUT EXPECTATIONS IMPROVE

By Kevin Kastner WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – The Conference Board’s U.S. consumer confidence index Tuesday fell to a reading of 86.9 in April from a downward revised 118.8 reading in March, as business and employment conditions deteriorated rapidly due to the COVID-19 shutdown. And while the assessment of current conditions posted their largest one-month decline in […]

WHITE HOUSE WATCH COMMENTARY: JUNGLE DRUMS IN THE DISTANCE SOUND LIKE TROUBLE

By Denny Gulino WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – You can feel the rumble of distant war drums even before you can hear them, in the nation’s capital of all places, as the Trump administration faces a renewed wave of criticism – just as it might, finally, be least deserved. “Might” could be a leap, because there is […]

FULL COVID SHUTDOWN IMPACT WILL BE ON DISPLAY IN NEXT WEEK’S US DATA

By Kevin Kastner WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – After a week that showcased weakness in the U.S. housing market, analysts and financial market participants should prepare themselves for even more disappointing data next week. The mid-week FOMC meeting gives the Committee an opportunity to offer more consoling words, but any new actions would be even more appreciated. […]