Tag: Industrial Production

Retail and Manufacturing Fail to Impress: May 13 – 17

Retail and Manufacturing Fail to Impress: May 13 – 17

Kevin Roth

Retail and manufacturing each stumbled in April.  Here are the five things we learned from U.S. economic data released during the week ending May 17. 

#1Retail sales wobbled in April. The Census Bureau values retail and food services sales at a seasonally adjusted $513.4 billion, down 0.2 percent from March. Sales at auto dealers/parts stores slowed 1.1 percent but grew 1.8 percent at gas stations (thanks to higher prices at the pump). Net of both of these categories, core retail sales declined 0.2 percent in April and have risen a not particularly vigorous 3.2 percent over the past 12 months. During April, sales gained at department stores (+0.7 percent), restaurants/bars (+0.2 percent), sporting goods/hobby retailers (+0.2 percent), and grocery stores (+0.2 percent), but fell at retailers focused on building materials (-1.9 percent), electronics/appliances (-1.3 percent), apparel (-0.2 percent), and health/personal care (-0.2 percent).

#2Both manufacturing and overall industrial production faltered in April. The Federal Reserve estimates industrial production dropped for the third time in four months with a seasonally adjusted 0.5 percent decline in April that left the measure up a paltry 0.9 percent over the past year. Manufacturing output also contracted by 0.5 percent during the month (also its third decrease in four months) and off 0.2 percent from a year earlier. Durable goods production slumped 0.9 percent, with drops of at least two percent for motor vehicles, machinery, and electrical equipment/appliances. The output of nondurables slowed 0.1 percent. Warmer than average April weather led to a 3.5 percent reduction in utilities’ output while mining output rose 1.6 percent, thanks to increased oil and natural gas extraction and more coal mining. 

#3Housing starts had their best month in April since last summer. The Census Bureau places housing starts at a seasonally adjusted annualized rate of 1.205 million units, up 5.7 percent from March but still 2.5 percent under from the pace of April 2018. Starts of single-family homes rose 6.2 percent to an annualized 854,000 units (its best month since January) while multi-family unit home starts edged up 2.3 percent to 359,000 (its best since last November). Permit data suggest modest growth over the near-term, as the rate of issued housing permits eked out a 0.6 percent gain to 1.96 million permits (which was 5.0 percent below the year-ago pace). Housing completions slowed 1.4 percent during the month to an annualized 1.312 million homes (+5.5 percent versus April 2018).

#4Homebuilders grew more optimistic about the housing market in May. The National Association of Home Builders’ Housing Market Index (HMI) increased by three points to a seasonally adjusted 66. This was the 59th consecutive month in which the HMI was above a reading of 50, indicating that a higher percentage of homebuilders saw the housing market as being “good” rather than being “poor.” The index improved in three of four Census regions while holding steady in the Midwest. Also moving forward during the month were indices tracking single-family home sales (up three points to 72), expected sales of single-family homes (up a point to 72), and traffic of prospective buyers (up two points to 49). The press release noted that survey respondents had “characterize[d] sales as solid, driven by improved demand and ongoing low overall supply.”

#5Small business owner sentiment firmed in April. The National Federation of Independent Business’s Small Business Optimism Index grew for the third consecutive month with a 1.7 point gain to a seasonally adjusted 103.5 (1986=100). While off from the 104.8 reading a year earlier, the index has been above 100.0 for 29 straight months. Eight of the ten index components improved from their March readings, led by earnings trends, expected credit conditions, and plans to increase inventories. The press release noted that “[t]he ‘real’ economy is doing very well versus what we see in financial market volatility.”

Other U.S. economic data released over the past week:
– Jobless Claims (week ending May 11, 2019, First-Time Claims, seasonally adjusted): 212,000 -16,000 vs. previous week; -9,000 vs. the same week a year earlier). 4-week moving average: 225,000 (+5.2% vs. the same week a year earlier).
– Import Prices (April 2019, All Imports, not seasonally adjusted): +0.2% vs. March 2019, -0.2% vs. April 2018. Nonfuel Imports: -0.1% vs. March 2019, -0.9% vs. April 2018.
– Export Prices (April 2019, All Exports, not seasonally adjusted): +0.2% vs. March 2019, +0.3% vs. April 2018.  Nonagricultural Exports: +0.4% vs. March 2019, +0.7% vs. April 2018.
– Leading Indicators (April 2019, Index (2016=100)):  112.1 (vs. March 2019: 111.9, vs. April 2018: 109.1).
– University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment (May 2019-preliminary, Index of Consumer Sentiment (1966Q1=100), seasonally adjusted): 102.4 (vs. April 2019: 97.2, May 2018: 98.0).
– State Employment (April 2019, Nonfarm Payrolls, seasonally adjusted): Vs. March 2019: Up in 10 states, down in 1 state, and essentially unchanged in 39 states and the District of Columbia. Vs. April 2018: Up in 29 states and essentially unchanged in 21 states and the District of Columbia.
– Business Inventories (March 2019, Manufacturers’ and Trade Inventories, seasonally adjusted): $2.018 trillion (Unchanged vs. February 2019, +5.0% vs. March 2018).
– Treasury International Capital Flows (March 2019, Net Foreign Purchases of U.S. Securities, not seasonally adjusted): -$20.6 billion (vs. February 2019: +$52.8 billion, vs. March 2018: -$14.8 billion).

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

Manufacturing Ends 2018 on a High Note: January 14 – 18

Manufacturing Ends 2018 on a High Note: January 14 – 18

Kevin Roth

Factories were more active as 2018 wrapped up, but consumer sentiment softened in the early days of 2019. Here are the five things we learned from U.S. economic data released during the week ending January 18. 

Note that the partial shutdown of the federal government has and will delay the release of certain economic data reports.

#1Manufacturing output surged in December. The Federal Reserve reports that manufacturing production jumped a seasonally adjusted 1.1 percent during the month, its biggest gain since last February and leaving output up 3.2 percent over the past 12 months. Durable goods production blossomed by 1.3 percent, boosted by significant gains for motor vehicles, nonmetallic mineral products, wood products, aerospace, and computers/electronics. Production of nondurables increased 0.9 percent, pulled up by petroleum/coal products and food/beverage/tobacco goods. Manufacturing output has grown by 3.2 percent over the past year. Overall industrial production gained 0.3 percent during December and had expanded 4.0 percent since December 2017. Mining output jumped 1.5 percent for the month and had swelled 13.4 percent over the past year (boosted by oil and gas extraction). Relatively moderate weather in December led to a 6.3 percent drop in output at utilities (-4.3 percent versus December 2017).Manufacturing 2016-8 011819.png

#2Wholesale prices fell in December. The Producer Price Index (PPI) for final demand dropped by 0.2 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis during the month. This was the first decline in the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ wholesale price measure since February 2017. The core measure of wholesale prices, which removes the impact of energy, food and trade services, was unchanged in December. PPI for energy plummeted by 5.4 percent (slightly greater than November’s 5.0 percent drop) as gasoline prices fell 13.1 percent. PPI for final demand food swelled 2.4 percent, as prices for fresh fruit surged 48.9 percent. PPI for final demand services contracted by 0.1 percent, pulled down by lower prices for trade services (-0.3 percent) and transportation & warehousing (-0.2 percent). For all of 2018, final demand PPI has risen 2.5 percent while the core measure gained 2.8 percent.

#3Many issued weighed heavily on consumers during the opening days of the new year. The preliminary January reading of the University of Michigan’s Index of Consumer Sentiment came in at 90.7, 7.6 points below the final December reading, five full points below the January 2018 mark, and its lowest reading since 2016. The current conditions slumped by 6.1 points to 110.0 (January 2018: 110.5) while the expectations index plummeted by 8.7 points to 78.3 (January 2018: 86.3). The press release noted that survey respondent’s “year-ahead outlook for the national economy [was] judged the worst since mid 2014,” blaming the greater pessimism on the “partial government shutdown, the impact of tariffs, instabilities in financial markets, the global slowdown, and the lack of clarity about monetary policies.” Look for the release of final January sentiment figures on February 1.

#4Homebuilder confidence slightly rebounded in January. The Housing Market Index (HMI) added two points during the month to a seasonally adjusted reading of 58. Even with its first increase since October, the National Association of Home Builders’ measure is 14 points below its January 2018 mark. Nonetheless, this was the 55th consecutive month with an HMI above a reading of 50, indicative of a higher percentage of homebuilders saying the housing market was “good” as opposed as being “poor.” The HMI improved in two Census regions (Northeast, up 12 points to 48, and West, up five points to 70), was steady in the South (at 61), and shed three points in the Midwest (49). Improving from January were indices for current sales of single-family homes (up two points to 63), expected sales of new homes (up three points to 64), and traffic of prospective buyers (up a point to 44). The press release stated that “the gradual decline in mortgage rates in recent weeks helped to sustain builder sentiment.”

#5Much of December’s job growth was centered about eight states. The Bureau of Labor Statistics state-level employment report finds the following states had “statistically significant” increases in nonfarm payrolls during the month: Texas (+38,000), Florida (+22,800), Georgia (+16,700), Indiana (+13,200), Washington state (+11,400), South Carolina (+10,800), Colorado (+9,800), and Alabama (+8,100). Employment also had grown at other states, but not at “statistically significant” level. Relative to a year earlier, nonfarm payrolls increased in size in 40 states, with the largest year-to-year percentage gains in Nevada (+3.9 percent), Arizona (+3.4 percent), and Texas (+3.2 percent).

Other U.S. economic data released over the past week:
– Jobless Claims (week ending January 12, 2019, First-Time Claims, seasonally adjusted): 213,000 (-3,000 vs. previous week; -13,000 vs. the same week a year earlier). 4-week moving average: 220,750 (-8.3% vs. the same week a year earlier).
– Import Prices (December 2018, All Imports, not seasonally adjusted): -1.0% vs. November 2018, -0.6% vs. December 2017. Nonfuel Imports: Unchanged vs. November 2018, +0.5% vs. December 2017.
– Export Prices (December 2018, All Exports, not seasonally adjusted): -0.6% vs. November 2018, +1.1% vs. December 2017.
– Beige Book

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

Retail Shines, Factory Activity Does Not: December 10 – 14

Retail Shines, Factory Activity Does Not: December 10 – 14

Kevin Roth

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.  

#1Retail 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).Retail Sales 2012-2018 121418

#2Manufacturing 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).

#3Job 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).

#4Consumer 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.

#5Wholesale 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). 

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