The Fed made a move and suggests it will do so again before the year is out. Here are the five things we learned from U.S. economic data released during the week ending September 28.
The Fed raises its short-term interest rate target while no longer calling its policies “accommodative.” The policy statement released following this past week’s meeting of the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) noted that economic activity was “rising at a strong rate” and that the job market had “continued to strengthen.” The word “strong” also was used to describe job gains and growth in both household spending and business fixed investment. Further, the Fed sees core inflation being near its two-percent target. As a result, the FOMC voted without dissent to raise the fed funds target rate by a quarter point to a range between 2.00 and 2.25 percent. Unlike in recent years, the statement did not characterize its fed funds target rate as being “accommodative,” suggesting a shift in the thinking of the committee. Released in conjunction with the policy statement, the median forecast among FOMC members has one more quarter-point rate hike this year, three hikes in 2018, and one in 2019.
Personal spending mellowed a bit in August. Real personal consumption expenditures (PCE) grew a seasonally adjusted 0.2 percent, breaking a four-month streak of 0.3 percent increases for the Bureau of Economic Analysis measure. Real PCE has increased 2.8 percent over the past year. Real spending on services grew 0.2 percent during the month while that of goods increased 0.3 percent. Looking closer at the latter, spending on durable goods gained 0.2 percent while that for nondurables rose 0.4 percent. Matching their July gains were nominal personal income (+0.3 percent), nominal disposable income (+0.3 percent), and real disposable income (+0.2 percent). The latter has grown 2.9 percent over the past 12 months. The savings rate held firm at +6.6 percent. The PCE deflator—a measure of inflation—has risen 2.2 percent over the past year while the core measure (net of both energy and food) has a 12-month comparable of +2.0 percent.
The third estimate of Q2 GDP matches that of the second estimate. The Bureau of Economic Analysis reports that Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew 4.2 percent on a seasonally adjusted annualized basis, matching the previous estimate reported in late August and up a smidge from the initial 4.1 percent annualized gain published in late July. Contributors to GDP growth during the quarter were (in decreasing order): personal consumption, net exports, nonresidential fixed investment, and government expenditures. Negative contributors to Q2 GDP growth were private inventory accumulation and residential fixed investment (housing). Downwardly revised were the estimate of corporate profits, with the estimate now indicating a 3.0 percent increase during Q2.
Consumer sentiment rose in September. The Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index grew by 3.7 points during the month to a seasonally adjusted 138.4 (1985=100), its best reading since September 2000. The current conditions index grew by a small 3/10ths of a point to 173.1—it was the expectations index that had a big increase, adding a full six points to 115.3. 41.1 percent of survey respondents described current business conditions as “good” while only 9.1 percent see them as “poor.” Similarly, 45.7 percent of Americans see jobs as being “plentiful” while 13.2 percent describe jobs as “hard to get.” The press release said that current confidence levels “should continue to support healthy consumer spending.”
The Index of Consumers Sentiment from the University of Michigan came in at a seasonally adjusted reading of 100.1 (1966Q1 = 100). While this was off 7/10ths of a point from the preliminary September reading a few weeks ago, it represented increases from August 2018 and September 2017 of 3.9 points and 5.0 points, respectively. The current conditions grew by 4.9 points during the month to 115.2 (September 2017: 111.7) while the expectations index added 3.4 points to 90.5 (September 2017: 84.4). The press release noted that most of the improved sentiment was reported by lower income survey respondents—the headline index for households in the bottom third of incomes hit its highest reading in nearly 18 years.
Rising aircraft sales fueled durable goods orders in August, but business investment lagged. The Census Bureau estimates new orders for durable goods jumped 4.5 percent during the month to a seasonally adjusted $259.6 billion, the second increase in three months. Transportation goods orders surged 13.0 percent, supported by large gains for orders of both civilian (+69.1 percent) and defense aircraft (+17.0 percent). New orders for motor vehicles dropped 1.0 percent. Net of transportation goods, new orders for durable goods managed a mere 0.1 percent gain. Rising during the month were orders for primary metals (+0.9 percent), electrical equipment/appliances (+0.6 percent), and machinery (+0.1 percent). New orders for civilian capital orders net of aircraft (a proxy for business investment) dropped 0.5 percent.
Other U.S. economic data released over the past week:
– Jobless Claims (week ending September 22, 2018, First-Time Claims, seasonally adjusted): 214,000 (+12,000 vs. previous week; -44,000 vs. the same week a year earlier). 4-week moving average: 206,250 (-23.1% vs. the same week a year earlier).
– New Home Sales (August 2018, New Home Sales, seasonally adjusted annualized rate): 629,000 (+3.5% vs. July 2018, +12.7% vs. August 2017).
– Pending Home Sales (August 2018, Index (2001=100), seasonally adjusted): 104.2 (-1.8% vs. July 2018, -2.3% vs. August 2017).
– Chicago Fed National Activity Index (August 2018, Index (0.00 = U.S. economic growth at historical average): +0.18 (vs. July 2018: +0.18, vs. August 2017: -0.08). 3-month moving average: +0.24 (vs. July 2018: +0.02, vs. August 2017: -0.05).
– Case-Shiller Home Price Index (July 2018, 20-City Index, seasonally adjusted): +0.1% vs. June 2018, +5.9% vs. July 2017.
– FHFA House Price Index (July 2018, Purchase-Only Index, seasonally adjusted): +0.2% vs. June 2018, +6.4% vs. July 2017.
– Agricultural Prices (August 2018, Prices Received by Farmers): -2.2% vs. July 2018, -4.9% vs. August 2018).
The opinions expressed here are not necessarily those of Kevin’s current employer. No endorsements are implied.
What We Learned About the U.S. Economy Last Week 