Retail sales made a small comeback in October while manufacturing let up again. Here are the five things we learned from U.S. economic data released during the week ending November 15.
Retail sales bounced back in October. Retail and food services sales grew 0.3 percent during the month to a seasonally adjusted $526.5 billion. This followed a 0.3 percent drop in September for the Census Bureau measure. Sales rose at both auto dealers & parts stores (+0.5 percent) and gas stations (+1.1 percent). Net of both, core retail sales inched up 0.1 percent after slipping 0.1 percent during the prior month. Sales gained at general merchandisers (+0.4 percent) and grocery stores (+0.4 percent) but stumbled at stores focused on apparel (-1.0 percent), furniture (-0.9 percent), sporting goods/hobbies (-0.8 percent), building materials (-0.5 percent), and electronics/appliances (-0.4 percent). Retail sales have risen 3.1 percent over the past year, while core retail sales have a more robust 12-month comparable of +3.7 percent.
A now-ended strike dampened manufacturing output in October. The Federal Reserve estimates that manufacturing output fell 0.6 percent during the month following a 0.5 percent decline in September. Durable goods product slumped 1.2 percent, harmed in part by the now-settled General Motors strike. Net of automobiles, durable goods manufacturing slowed 0.2 percent. Nondurables output held steady during the month. Overall industrial production had its worst month in 17 months with a 0.8 percent decline. Mining output declined 0.7 percent while utilities production plummeted 2.6 percent. Manufacturing production was 1.5 percent below that of a year earlier, while overall industrial production was 1.1 percent behind its October 2018 pace.
Higher gasoline prices heated up not only consumer inflation in October… The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the Consumer Price Index (CPI) jumped 0.4 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis during the month, the biggest single-month gain since March. Gasoline prices surged 3.7 percent, pushing up energy CPI 2.7 percent. Food CPI jumped 0.2 percent (its highest one-month gain since May). Net of energy and food, core CPI increased 0.2 percent. Rising in October were prices for used cars/trucks (+1.3 percent), medical care commodities (+1.2 percent), medical care services (+0.9 percent), shelter (+0.1 percent), and transportation services (+0.1 percent). Prices decreased for apparel (-1.8 percent) and new vehicles (-0.2 percent). CPI has risen 1.8 percent over the past year, while the core measure has a 12-month comparable of +2.3 percent.
…But also wholesale prices. Final demand Producer Price Index (PPI) also rose a seasonally adjusted 0.4 percent in October, the biggest gain in six months for the Bureau of Labor Statistics gauge. The core measure, which nets out energy, food, and trade services, had a more modest 0.1 percent increase. Goods PPI jumped 0.7 percent, half of which came from a 7.3 percent surge in wholesale gasoline prices. Netting out gains for energy (+2.8 percent) and food (+1.3 percent), core goods PPI held steady in October. Final demand services PPI gained 0.3 percent, pushed up by a 0.8 percent rise in trade services (wholesale and retail margins). Headline PPI has grown a relatively modest 1.1 percent over the past year while the core measure has risen 1.5 percent.
Optimism improved slightly among small business owners. The Small Business Owner Optimism Index from the National Federation of Independent Business added 6/10ths of a point during October to a seasonally adjusted reading of 102.4 (1986=100). While this was the first increase in three months, the measure remained five full points below its year-ago mark. Eight of the index’s ten components improved during the month, led by gains for measures tied plans to increase both inventories and capital outlays. Two components dropped during the month: earnings trends and current job openings. The press release noted small business owners “are not experiencing the predicted turmoil” of a recession.
Other U.S. economic data released over the past week:
– Jobless Claims (week ending November 9, 2019, First-Time Claims, seasonally adjusted): 225,000 (+14,000 vs. previous week; +2,000 vs. the same week a year earlier). 4-week moving average: 217,000 (-1.0% vs. the same week a year earlier).
– Import Prices (October 2019, All Imports, not seasonally adjusted): -0.5% vs. September 2019, -3.0% vs. October 2018. Nonfuel Imports: -0.2% vs. September 2019, -1.4% vs. October 2018.
– Export Prices (October 2019, All Exports, not seasonally adjusted): -0.1% vs. September 2019, -2.2% vs. October 2018. Nonagricultural Exports: -0.1% vs. September 2019, -2.7% vs. October 2018.
– Monthly Treasury Statement (October 2019, Federal Budget Deficit): -$134.5 billion (vs. October 2018: -$100.5 billion).
– Business Inventories (September 2019, Manufacturers’ and Trade Inventories, seasonally adjusted): $2.042 trillion (unchanged vs. August 2019, +3.7% vs. September 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 