News

BLS Releases March 2018 Consumer Price Index (April 2018)

04.11.2018

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Consumer Price Index for all urban consumers (CPI-U) decreased 0.2 percent in March of 2018 on a seasonally-adjusted basis.  An decrease in the index for gasoline was the main contributor to the monthly increase.

Excluding the volatile costs of food and energy, the index for all items less food and energy rose by 0.2 percent in March.  The indexes for shelter, medical care, personal care, motor vehicle insurance, and airline fares increased in March.

The all items index has risen 2.4 percent over the last 12 months ending in March, the largest increase since the period ending March 2017.  

The full press release can be found via the link below.

Next release is Thursday, May 10, 2018, for the April 2018 Consumer Price Index.

BLS Releases March 2018 Employment Situation (Apr. 2018)

04.06.2018

Employers added 103,000 nonfarm payroll jobs in March of 2018, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.  The unemployment rate was unchanged at 4.1 percent.

Job gains occurred in manufacturing, health care, and mining. The number of jobs in manufacturing increased by 22,000 over the month, while health care gained 22,000 jobs, and mining gained 9,000 jobs.

Job growth in February 2018 was revised to 326,000, up from the initially estimated 313,000.  Over the past three months, job growth has averaged 202,000 additions a month. 

Average hourly earnings rose by nine cents to $26.82. Over the year, average hourly earnings have risen 2.7 percent.  

The full BLS press release on the March 2018 employment situation can be accessed in the link below:

The next employment situation report for April 2018 will be released on Friday, May 4, 2018. 

BEA Releases Third Estimate of Fourth Quarter GDP and Fourth Quarter Corporate Profits (Mar. 2018)

03.28.2018

The Bureau of Economic Analysis released its “third” estimate of fourth quarter 2017 Gross Domestic Product.  The third estimate is based on data that is more complete than the “advance” and “second” estimates. The third estimate shows that real GDP increased at an annual rate of 2.9 percent during the fourth quarter of 2017. 

The increase in real GDP in the fourth quarter reflected increases in personal consumption expenditures, nonresidential fixed investment, exports, residential fixed investment, federal government spending, and state and local government spending. These increases were partly offset by a decrease in private inventory investment.  Imports, which is subtracted in the GDP calculation, increased. 

Corporate profits decreased $1.1 billion in the fourth quarter, compared to an increase of $90.2 billion in the third quarter of 2017.

The full BEA press release on the second estimate of fourth quarter GDP can be accessed in the link below:

The next release—for the advance estimate of first quarter GDP 2018 will be released on April 27, 2018. 

BLS Releases February 2018 Consumer Price Index (Mar. 2018)

03.15.2018

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Consumer Price Index for all urban consumers (CPI-U) increased 0.2 percent in February of 2018 on a seasonally-adjusted basis.  An increase in the index for shelter, apparel, and motor vehicle insurance was the main contributor to the monthly increase.

Excluding the volatile costs of food and energy, the index for all items less food and energy rose by 0.2 percent in February.  Many indexes increased in February including those for household furnishings and operations, education, personal care, and airline fares, as well as those listed above.

The all items index has risen 2.2 percent over the last 12 months ending in February, a slightly larger rise than the 2.1 percent average rise for the 12 months ending in Janaury. 

The full press release can be found via the link below.

Next release is Wednesday, April 11, 2018, for the March 2018 Consumer Price Index.

BLS Releases February 2018 Employment Situation (Mar. 2018)

03.09.2018

Employers added 313,000 nonfarm payroll jobs in February of 2018, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.  The unemployment rate was unchanged at 4.1 percent.

Job gains occurred in construction, retail trade, professional and business services, manufacturing, financial activities, and mining. The number of jobs in construction increased by 61,000 over the month, while retail trade gained 50,000 jobs, and professional and business services gained 50,000 jobs.

Job growth in January 2018 was revised to 239,000, up from the initially estimated 200,000.  Over the past three months, job growth has averaged 242,000 additions a month. 

Average hourly earnings rose by nine cents to $26.75. Over the year, average hourly earnings have risen 2.6 percent.  

The full BLS press release on the February 2018 employment situation can be accessed in the link below:

The next employment situation report for March 2018 will be released on Friday, April 6, 2018.