News

The Forensic Economist, An Economic Newsletter for Lawyers: Lost Household Services as an Element of Economic Damages in Personal Injury and Wrongful Death (March 2017)

03.22.2017

BLS Releases February 2017 Consumer Price Index (Mar. 2017)

03.15.2017

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Consumer Price Index for all urban consumers (CPI-U) increased 0.1 percent in February on a seasonally-adjusted basis.  This increase was the smallest one-month rise since July 2016.  A decline in the gasoline index offset increases in the food, shelter, and recreation indexes.  The energy index fell 1.0 percent in February 2017, while the gasoline index fell 3.0 percent after a 7.8 percent increase in January.  The food index rose 0.2 percent in February, its largest rise since September 2015.

Excluding the volatile costs of food and energy, the index for all items less food and energy rose by 0.2 percent in February, primarily due to the increase in the indexes for shelter, recreation, apparel, airline fares, motor vehicle insurance, education, and health care, although the indexes for communication, used cars and trucks, new vehicles, and household furnishings and operations declined. 

The all items index has risen 2.7 percent over the last 12 months before seasonal adjustment; the all items index has been trending upward since a July 2016 low of 0.8 percent.   

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

Next release is Friday, April 14, 2017 for the March 2017 Consumer Price Index.

BLS Releases February 2017 Employment Situation (Mar. 2017)

03.10.2017

The U.S. economy continued to create jobs at a modest pace in February, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.  Employers added 235,000 nonfarm payroll jobs in February of 2017.  The unemployment rate was little changed at 4.7 percent. 

Job gains occurred in construction, private educational services, manufacturing, and health care. The number of jobs in construction increased by 58,000 over the month, private educational services by 29,000 jobs, manufacturing by 28,000 jobs, and health care by 27,000 jobs.

Job growth in January 2017 was revised to 238,000, up from the initially estimated 227,000.  Over the past three months, job growth has averaged 209,000 additions a month. 

Average hourly earnings rose by six cents to $26.09, following a five-cent increase in January.   Over the year, average hourly earnings have risen 2.8 percent. 

The full BLS press release on the February 2017 employment situation can be accessed in the link below.

The next employment situation report for March 2017 will be released on Friday, April 7, 2017. 

NES Financial EB-5 Innovation Summit (Feb. 8, 2017)

02.22.2017

EPR’s President Jeff Carr presented at the 4^th Annual NES EB-5 Innovation Summit on February 9, 2017, in New York City.  Mr. Carr addressed the Summit on a panel discussion “Hot Topics EB-5.”  The NES Financial EB-5 summit brings together leading experts in EB-5 to discuss the latest developments in the industry and to discuss issues relating to the EB-5 Program.

Jeff is shown in the attached picture with Clem Turner of Homeier & Law, Kate Kalmykov of Greenburg Traurig, and Carolyn Lee of Miller Mayer. 

BLS Releases January 2017 Consumer Price Index (Feb. 2017)

02.15.2017

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Consumer Price Index for all urban consumers (CPI-U) increased 0.6 percent in January on a seasonally-adjusted basis.  This increase is the largest since February 2013.  An increase in the gasoline index accounted for nearly half of the increase in CPI-U, although increases in the indexes for shelter, apparel, and new vehicles also contributed.  The energy index rose 4.0 percent in January 2017, while the gasoline index rose 7.8 percent.  The food index, which has not changed for the previous six months, rose 0.1 percent in January.  

Excluding the volatile costs of food and energy, the index for all items less food and energy rose by 0.3 percent in January, primarily due to the significant increases (0.8 percent or more) in the indexes for apparel, new vehicles, motor vehicle insurance, and airline fares.  The shelter index rose only 0.2 percent, a smaller increase compared to recent months. 

The all items index has risen 2.5 percent over the last 12 months before seasonal adjustment, the largest 12-month increase since March 2012.     

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

Next release is Wednesday, March 15, 2017 for the February 2017 Consumer Price Index.