Tag: Consumer Debt

Core Prices Chill, Job Openings Grow: May 6 – 10

Core Prices Chill, Job Openings Grow: May 6 – 10

Kevin Roth

Core inflation was on spring break in April, except at the gas pump.  Here are the five things we learned from U.S. economic data released during the week ending May 10.

#1Core consumer inflation was restrained (again) in April. The Bureau of Labor Statistics tells us that the Consumer Price Index (CPI) grew 0.3 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis during the month, following a 0.4 percent bounce in March. Energy prices jumped 2.9 percent, led by a 5.7 percent surge in gasoline prices. Food CPI, however, slipped 0.1 percent (including a 0.5 percent drop in the prices for food consumed at home). Core CPI, which nets out energy and food, edged up 0.1 percent for the third consecutive month. Rising were prices for medical care commodities (+0.9 percent), shelter (+0.4 percent), medical care services (+0.2 percent), transportation services (+0.1 percent), and new vehicles (-0.1 percent). Prices slumped for used cars/trucks (-1.3 percent) and apparel (-0.8 percent). CPI has risen 2.0 percent over the past year while the core price measure has a 12-month comparable of +2.1 percent.

#2Wholesale prices also moderated. Final demand Producer Price Index (PPI) grew at a seasonally adjusted 0.2 percent during April, down from the 0.6 percent burst a month earlier. The Bureau of Labor Statistics’ core wholesale price measure, which removes the impact of energy, food and trade services, jumped 0.4 percent. Both the headline and core PPI measures have risen 2.2 percent over the past year. During April, wholesale energy prices rose 1.8 percent (PPI for gasoline surged 5.9 percent) while food PPI slipped 0.2 percent. Net of energy and food, PPI for core goods was unchanged for the month (the first time it failed to increase since last December).

#3 Job openings rebounded in March. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that there were 7.488 million job openings on the final day of March (on a seasonally adjusted basis), up 346,000 from February, reversing January’s 483,000 contraction, up 8.6 percent from a year earlier, and well ahead of the 6.211 unemployed people during the month. Industries with large percentage year-to-year increases in job openings included construction (+53.8 percent), wholesale trade (+20.9 percent), professional/business services (+18.3 percent), and manufacturing (+11.7 percent). Hiring continued to lag, however, slipping by 35,000 jobs during the month to 5.660 million (up a measly 0.6 percent from a year earlier). Job separations fell by 142,000 to 5.434 million (essentially matching the March 2018 count). Voluntarily quits were 3.3 percent ahead of their year-ago pace (to 3.409 million) while layoffs slowed 4.0 percent over the same period to 1.700 million workers.

#4The trade deficit widened slightly in March. The Census Bureau and the Bureau of Economic Analysis indicates the U.S. trade deficit expanded by $0.7 billion to a seasonally adjusted -$50.0 billion as exports grew by $2.1 billion and imports expanded by $2.8 billion. Over the past year, exports have increased by 1.3 percent while imports have risen 2.1 percent. The goods deficit grew by $0.5 billion to -$72.4 billion while the services surplus narrowed by $0.2 billion to +$22.4 billion. The U.S. had its largest goods deficits with China, the European Union, and Mexico.

#5Consumer put away their credit cards in March. The Federal Reserve estimates consumer revolving credit balances shrank by $2.2 billion during the month to a seasonally adjusted $1.057 trillion. Over the past year, revolving credit balances have grown 3.2 percent. Non-revolving credit balances, which includes college and auto loans, increased by $12.4 billion during March (and 5.6 percent over the past year) to $2.995 trillion. In total, outstanding consumer credit balances (not including mortgages and other real estate backed loans) expanded by $10.3 billion during the month to $4.052 trillion, representing a 4.9 percent since March 2018.

Other U.S. economic data released over the past week:
– Jobless Claims (week ending May 4, 2019, First-Time Claims, seasonally adjusted): 228,000 -2,000 vs. previous week; +17,000 vs. the same week a year earlier). 4-week moving average: 220,250 (+2.3% vs. the same week a year earlier).
– Wholesale Trade (March 2019, Inventories of Merchant Wholesalers, seasonally adjusted): $669.8 billion (-0.1% vs. February 2019, +6.7% vs. March 2018).
– Monthly Treasury Statement (First 7 Months of FY2019, Federal Government Budget Deficit): -$530.9 billion (+37.8% vs. First 7 Months of FY2018).
– Senior Loan Officers Opinion Survey

The opinions expressed here are not necessarily those of Kevin’s current employer. No endorsements are implied.

Prices and Job Openings Remain Firm: August 6 – 10

Prices and Job Openings Remain Firm: August 6 – 10

Kevin Roth

Inflation continued to take hold, albeit still at a moderate rate. Here are the five things we learned from U.S. economic data released during the week ending August 10.

#1Consumer prices have risen 2.9 percent over the past year. The Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates the Consumer Price Index (CPI) grew a seasonally adjusted 0.2 percent during July, up from June’s 0.1 percent bump but matching April and May gains of 0.2 percent. Energy prices pulled back for a second consecutive month (-0.5 percent), with declines reported for gasoline (-0.6 percent), utility delivered gas (-0.5 percent), and electricity (-0.4 percent). Food CPI inched up 0.1 percent. Net of energy and food, core CPI grew 0.2 percent for the fifth time in six months. Rising were prices for used cars/trucks (+1.3 percent), transportation services (+0.5 percent), new vehicles (+0.3 percent), shelter (+0.3 percent), and medical care services (+0.1 percent). Prices dropped for medical care commodities (-1.1 percent) and apparel (-0.3 percent). Over the past year, CPI has risen 2.9 percent, its largest 12-month comparable in more than six years. The core measure has jumped 2.4 percent since last July, its largest 12-month comparable since September 2008. Both increases portend the Federal Reserve raising its short-term interest rate target at its upcoming September meeting.CPI 2008-2018 081018.png

#2While pausing in July wholesale prices were 3.3 percent ahead of their year-ago levels. Final demand Producer Price Index (PPI) was unchanged during the month on a seasonally adjusted basis, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This followed gains in May and June of +0.5 percent and +0.3 percent, respectively. The core measure of wholesale prices, removing the impact of energy, food, and trade services, gained 0.3 percent during July. PPI for final demand good eked out a 0.1 percent gain as prices for both energy (-0.5 percent) and food (-0.1 percent) both dropped. PPI for core goods increased 0.3 percent for the sixth time in seven months (pharmaceutical preparations jumped 0.7 percent). Losing ground during July was PPI for final demand services, slipping 0.1 percent. Trade services PPI, a measure of retailer and wholesaler margins, slumped 0.8 percent. Over the past year, final demand PPI has risen 3.3 percent (just under its biggest increase since 2011) while the core measure has a 12-month comparable of +2.8 percent (its highest mark since March).

#3There remained more job openings than people seeking work in June. Per the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employers had a seasonally adjusted 6.662 million job openings at the end of the month, essentially matching the count from the end of May and up 8.8 percent from the same month a year earlier. Further, this was greater than the 6.564 million people the BLS had estimated were unemployed during the same month. Private sector employers had 6.053 million job openings at the end of June, up 8.6 percent from June 2017. Industries with the particularly sizeable year-to-year percentage gains in job openings included construction (+30.2 percent), retail (+29.7 percent), transportation/wholesale (+25.3 percent), manufacturing (+17.3 percent), and accommodation/food services (+9.7 percent). Hiring slowed by 104,000 to 5.651 million workers, which paced 3.4 percent ahead of year-ago hiring. Private sector employers hired 5.303 million workers during June, up 3.4 percent from a year earlier. 5.502 million people left their jobs during the month, up 83,000 from May and 3.9 percent from June 2017. 3.402 million voluntarily departed their jobs during the month (+7.5 percent versus June 2017) while 1.723 million people were laid off (-2.8 percent versus June 2017).

#4Consumers slowed the rate of them taking on debt. The Federal Reserve estimates that the American public held a seasonally adjusted $3.908 trillion in outstanding debt (not counting mortgages or other real estate-backed debt) at the end of June, a $10.2 billion increase for the month and up 4.7 percent from a year earlier. As a matter of context, consumer debt holdings had grown by $24.3 billion during May. All June’s gain came in the form of nonrevolving debt (e.g., college loans, auto loans), rising by $10.4 billion to $2.869 trillion (4.7 percent versus June 2017). Revolving credit (i.e., credit card) balances essentially held steady at $1.039 trillion (+4.8 percent June 2017).

#5The federal budget deficit is more than 20 percent larger than what it was this time last year. The Bureau of the Fiscal Service, a part of the Department of the Treasury, reports that the U.S. government had a budget deficit of $76.9 billion during July. This was up $2.0 billion from June and 79.0 percent from the same month a year earlier. Tax receipts totaled $225.3 billion while outlays were at $302.1 billion.  More notable is that the budget deficit generated over the first ten months of FY2018—$684.0 billion—was 20.8 percent greater than that of the first ten months of FY2017. Receipts over this time period were up a mere 1.0 percent while expenditures rose 4.4 percent. 

Other U.S. economic data released over the past week:
– Jobless Claims (week ending August 4, 2018, First-Time Claims, seasonally adjusted): 213,000 (-6,000 vs. previous week; -39,000 vs. the same week a year earlier). 4-week moving average: 214,250 (-11.3% vs. the same week a year earlier).
– Wholesale Trade (June 2018, Wholesale Inventories, seasonally adjusted): $632.4 billion (+0.1% vs. May 2018, +5.1% vs. June 2017).
– Senior Loan Officer Opinion Survey on Bank Lending 

The opinions expressed here are not necessarily those of Kevin’s current employer. No endorsements are implied.

Home Sales Remain Firm, Moderate Economic Growth on Target for 2017: June 19 – 23

Home Sales Remain Firm, Moderate Economic Growth on Target for 2017: June 19 – 23

Kevin Roth

Home sales improved during May while forward-looking economic indicators suggest moderate economic growth during the rest of this year. Here are the 5 things we learned from U.S. economic data released during the week ending June 23.

#1Existing home sales crept up during May. The National Association of Realtors reports that sales of previously owned homes grew 1.1 percent during the month to a seasonally adjusted annualized rate (SAAR) of 5.62 million homes. This was 2.7 percent above the year ago annualized sales pace and just below its post-recession sales peak. Sales grew in three of four Census regions during May: Northeast (+6.8 percent), West (+3.4 percent), and South (+2.2 percent). Sales fell 5.9 percent in the Midwest. The 12-month comparables followed the same pattern, with sales growing in the Northeast, South, and West, but falling in the Midwest. There remained a dearth of homes on the market. A mere 4.2 month supply of homes were available for sale at the end of May, with the 1.96 million homes on the market representing 8.4 percent decline from a year earlier. As a result, the median sales price of existing home sales jumped 5.8 percent from a year earlier to $252,800. The press release noted that “[t]he job market in most of the country is healthy and the recent downward trend in mortgage rates continues to keep buyer interest at a robust level.”

#2New home sales also bounced up during May. The Census Bureau estimates the seasonally adjusted annualized sales rate for new homes was at 610,000 units, up 2.9 percent for the month and 8.9 percent from a year earlier. Sales surged in both the West and South by 13.3 percent and 6.2 percent, respectively, but cooled in both the Midwest (-25.7 percent) and Northeast (-10.8 percent). Homebuilders had 268,000 new homes available for sale at the end of May, up 1.5 percent from the previous month and 11.2 percent from a year earlier. This translated into a still tight 5.3 month supply of new homes. The median sales price for new homes jumped 16.8 percent over the past year, although some of the “increase” reflects larger (and therefore more expensive) homes sold.

#3Leading economic indicators point to 2017 economic growth of two percent or more. The Conference Board’s Leading Economic Index grew 0.3 percent during May to a seasonally adjusted reading of 127.0 (2010 = 100). This was up 3.5 percent from a year earlier. Eight of the leading index’s components made positive contributions to the measure during May, led by the interest rate spread, new orders for manufactured goods, and consumers’ expectations for business conditions. The coincident economic index edged up 1/10th of a point to 115.3 (+2.2 percent vs. May 2016) as three of four index components making positive contributions (personal income net of transfer payments, nonfarm payrolls, and manufacturing/trade sales). The lagging economic index also added 1/10th of a point to 124.2 (+2.1 percent vs. May 2016) with only three of seven index components making a positive contribution during the month. The press release noted that the leading indicators suggest “the economy is likely to remain on, or perhaps even moderately above, its long-term trend of about 2 percent growth for the remainder of the year.”

#4Layoff activity remained light during mid-June. Per the Department of Labor, there were a seasonally adjusted 241,000 first-time claims made for unemployment insurance benefits during the week ending June 17, up 3,000 for the week but 21,000 below the number of claims from the same week a year earlier. The jobless claims count has been below 300,000 for 120 consecutive weeks, a feat not seen since 1970(!). The four-week moving average of first-time claims of 244,750 was 8.3 percent below that of a year earlier. 1.817 million people were receiving some form of unemployment insurance benefits during the week ending June 3, 10.2 percent below the count of a year ago.

#5Americans’ household debt service remained relatively low in early 2017. The Federal Reserve indicates that financial obligations represent 15.47 percent of households’ disposable personal income during the first quarter of 2017. The financial obligations ratio was down one basis point from the previous quarter but up a basis point from a year earlier. This ratio has been consistently below 16 percent since 2011 (contrasting with ten years ago when the percentage was consistently nearly 18 percent) and has stayed near 30-year lows. The debt service ratio held steady at 10.04 during Q1 and was up two basis points from a year earlier. By comparison, this measure was above 13 percent ten years ago. Nondebt financial obligations (e.g., rent, leases) represented 5.43 percent of disposable income, down 1-basis point from the previous quarter but keeping the measure near its highest levels in 30 years.Financial Obligations Ratio--06232017

Other U.S. economic data released over the past week:
– FHFA House Price Index (April 2017, Purchase-only Index, seasonally adjusted): +0.7% vs. March 2017, +6.8% vs. April 2016.

The opinions expressed here are not necessarily those of Kevin’s current and previous employers. No endorsements are implied.