Consumers started the holiday season with gusto, while manufacturing took another break. Here are the five things we learned from U.S. economic data released during the week ending December 14.
Retail sales were solid in November. U.S. retail and food services sales totaled a seasonally adjusted $513.5 billion, according to the Census Bureau. This was up a modest 0.2 percent for the month, but one should note that the headline figures were pulled down by falling gasoline prices (sales at gas stations plummeted 2.3 percent). Net of sales at gas stations and car dealers/parts stores (where sales increased 0.2 percent), core retail sales gained 0.5 percent for the month and were up 4.6 percent over the past year. Rising during the month were sales at retailers focused on electronics/appliances (+1.2 percent), furniture (+1.2 percent), health/personal care (+0.9 percent), and groceries (+0.4 percent), and at department stores (+0.4 percent). Sales slowed at restaurants/bars (-0.5 percent), building material stores (-0.3 percent), and apparel retailers (-0.2 percent). Nonstore retailers (e.g., internet retailers) saw sales jump 2.3 percent during the month, with a year-to-year sales increase of 10.8 percent).
Manufacturing output failed to grow for a second consecutive month. The Federal Reserve’s report on industrial production finds manufacturing output was unchanged (on a seasonally adjusted basis) in November, following a 0.1 percent drop during the prior month. Durable goods output inched up 0.2 percent, boosted by a 2.5 percent increase for primary metals. Nondurable output slowed 0.2 while that of “other manufacturing” (which includes publishing and logging) slumped 0.9 percent. Overall industrial production jumped 0.6 percent during November (its biggest gain since August) and has increased 2.5 percent over the past year. Rising during the month were output both in mining (+1.7 percent) and at utilities (+3.3 percent, boosted by cold weather driving demand for utility-delivered natural gas).
Job openings remained at near-record levels in October. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates there were 7.059 million (seasonally adjusted) available nonfarm jobs at the end of October, up 119,000 from September and 16.8 percent from the same month a year ago. Private sector job openings have risen 17.7 percent over the past 12 months to 6.489 million. The industries with the largest double-digit year-to-year percentage increases in job openings were wholesale trade (+52.0 percent), manufacturing (+27.3 percent), accommodation/food services (+26.0 percent), construction (+25.3 percent), and retail (+22.4 percent). Hiring picked up in October, rising by 196,000 to 5.892 million hires (+5.2 percent versus October 2017), with larger 12-month comparables in transportation/warehousing (+49.5 percent), retail (+14.0 percent), and manufacturing (+12.0 percent). Even though dropping by 85,000 during October, the number of people leaving their jobs was up 5.4 percent over the past year to 5.556 million. This included 3.514 million people who quit their jobs (+9.0 percent versus October 2017) and 1.691 million layoffs (-1.2 percent versus October 2017).
Consumer prices failed to rise in November. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the Consumer Price Index (CPI) held steady during the month on a seasonally adjusted basis, the first month not to show a rise since March. Energy CPI slumped 2.2 percent as gasoline prices fell 4.1 percent. On the flip side, food CPI gained 0.2 percent, its largest single-month increase since June (boosted by higher prices for cereals/bakery and meat). Net of both energy and food, core CPI grew 0.2 percent, matching its October increase. Rising were prices for used cars/trucks (+2.4 percent), medical commodities and services (both +0.4 percent), and shelter (+0.3 percent). Prices fell for apparel (-0.9 percent) and transportation services (-0.3 percent). Both the headline and core CPI measures have risen 2.2 percent over the past year.
Wholesale prices also moderated in November. The Producer Price Index (PPI) for final demand grew by a seasonally adjusted 0.1 percent during the month following a 0.6 percent surge in October. At the same time, the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ core measure (netting out prices for energy, food and trade services) gained 0.3 percent, greater than October’s 0.2 percent increase. PPI for final demand goods dropped 0.4 percent, pulled down a 5.0 percent decline in energy PPI (final demand gasoline PPI: -14.0 percent). PPI for final demand food jumped 1.0 percent (pulled up by rising prices for fresh/dry vegetables). Net of energy and food, final demand goods PPI gained 0.3 percent. Final demand PPI for services also increased 0.3 percent, with rising margins at gas stations a significant factor. Final demand PPI has risen 2.5 percent over the past year (the smallest 12-month comparable since last December) while core final demand PPI has expanded 2.8 percent over the past year.
Other U.S. economic data released over the past week:
– Jobless Claims (week ending December 8, 2018, First-Time Claims, seasonally adjusted): 206,000 (-27,000 vs. previous week; -23,000 vs. the same week a year earlier). 4-week moving average: 224,750 (-4.6% vs. the same week a year earlier).
– Import prices (November 2018, All Imports, not seasonally adjusted): -1.6% vs. October 2018, +0.7% vs. November 2017. Nonfuel imports: -0.3% vs. October 218, +0.3% vs. November 2017.
– Export prices (November 2017, All Exports, not seasonally adjusted): -0.9% vs. October 2018, +1.8% vs. November 2o17. Nonagricultural Exports: -1.0% vs. October 2018, +2.2% vs. November 2017.
– Business Inventories (October 2018, Manufacturing and Trade Inventories, seasonally adjusted): $1.982 trillion (+0.6% vs. September 2018, +5.2% vs. October 2017).
– NFIB Small Business Optimism (November 2018, Index (1986=100), seasonally adjusted): 104.8 (vs. October 2018: 107.4, vs. November 2017: 107.5.
– Monthly Treasury Statement (November 2018, Federal Budget Surplus/Deficit): (first two months of FY2019) -$306.4 billion (vs. first two months of FY 2018: -$201.8 billion).
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What We Learned About the U.S. Economy Last Week 