FRANKFURT-- Governments around the world are loading up on debt, taking advantage of record-low borrowing costs to extend a long economic expansion and invest for future challenges. Economists warned a decade ago that pushing public debt above about 90% of gross domestic product could hurt growth and increase the risk of crises. Now they aren't so sure.
WASHINGTON-- Consumer spending in the U.S. picked up slightly in January after a weak holiday season, while manufacturing started the year on a decline, suggesting forces that slowed 2019 growth continued at the start of this year. Government and survey data released Friday showed consumers remained upbeat, but the manufacturing industry was struggling. "There seems to be this ongoing dichotomy between business and the consumer sector," said Gregory Daco, an economist at Oxford...
The following are forecasts for next week's U.S. data from a survey compiled by The Wall Street Journal. DATE TIME RELEASE PERIOD CONSENSUS PREVIOUS Tuesday 0830 NY Empire Sate Svy Feb 4.5 4.8 1000 Housing Mkt Index Feb 75 75 Wednesday 0830 Producer Price Index Jan +0.2% +0.1%-- ex food& energy Jan +0.2% +0.1%-- ex food, energy, trade Jan +0.2% +0.1% 0830 Housing Starts Jan 1.43 M 1.608 M-- percent change Jan -11.1% +16.9% 0830 Building Permits Jan 1.43 M 1.416 M-- percent change Jan +1.0%...
U.S. industrial output fell in January, driven down by unseasonably warm temperatures and a halt in production at Boeing Co.. Industrial production, a measure of factory, mining and utility output, decreased a seasonally adjusted 0.3% in January from the prior month, the Federal Reserve said Friday. Utility production dropped 4% last month, with electric and natural-gas utilities falling 3.2% and 7.7%, respectively, as Americans cut back on their energy consumption during a...
WASHINGTON-- Consumer spending in the U.S. picked up slightly in January after a weak holiday season, while manufacturing started the year on a decline. Retail sales, a measure of purchases at stores, at restaurants and online, increased a seasonally adjusted 0.3% in January from a month earlier, the Commerce Department said Friday. That was the strongest pace of growth since October, after December's holiday retail sales were revised slightly lower.
Americans' economic outlook rose strongly in early February, according to a University of Michigan survey released Friday. The survey's headline index of consumer sentiment increased to 100.9 this month from 99.8 at the end of January. Economists surveyed by The Wall Street Journal had expected a reading of 99.5.
WASHINGTON--U.S. business inventories increased 0.1% in December to a seasonally adjusted $2.04 trillion, the Commerce Department said Friday. That matched the expectations of economists surveyed by The Wall Street Journal. Here are highlights from the report:.
U.S. industrial output fell in January, driven down by unseasonably warm temperatures and weaker aircraft production at Boeing. Industrial production, a measure of factory, mining and utility output, decreased a seasonally adjusted 0.3% in January from the prior month, the Federal Reserve said Friday, matching economists' expectations. Utility production dropped 4% last month, with electric and natural gas utilities falling 3.2% and 7.7%, respectively, as Americans cut back on...
WASHINGTON--Prices for foreign-made goods imported to the U.S. were unchanged in January, the Labor Department reported Friday. Here are takeaways from the report:. --Import prices held steady in January from December.
WASHINGTON-American shoppers increased their spending in January, signalling a key engine of the economy remained on steady footing. Retail sales, a measure of purchases at stores, at restaurants and online, increased a seasonally adjusted 0.3% in January from a month earlier, the Commerce Department said Friday. That was in line with the expectation of economists surveyed by The Wall Street Journal.
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