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☆ Target is cutting prices on up to 5,000 items to lure back inflation-wary shoppers
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-20 | by ( Jordan Valinsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

New York CNN —Target has slashed prices on more than 1,500 popular items beginning immediately, ranging from butter to laundry detergent, as the retailer attempts to attract inflation-wary shoppers turned off by high prices. Prices have dropped effective Monday, with “thousands more price cuts” — amounting to 5,000 items — being reduced over the summer, the retailer announced. Retail sales growth has taken a hit because of high prices: Last month, retail sales were unchanged from March, when spending increased by a downwardly revised 0.6%, the Commerce Department recently reported. By comparison, a year ago, retail sales surged by 3%. In response, Target recently created a new house brand called Dealworthy to take on dollar stores and Walmart.

Persons: Sarah Wyeth Organizations: New, New York CNN — Target, Ikea, Aldi, Shoppers, CNN, Commerce Department, Target, Walmart Locations: New York

☆ Japan’s economy contracts in first quarter
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-15 | by ( ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Tokyo Reuters —Japan’s economy contracted in the first quarter, squeezed by weaker consumption and external demand and throwing a fresh challenge to policymakers as the central bank looks to lift interest rates away from near-zero levels. The reading translates into a quarterly contraction of 0.5%, versus a 0.4% decline expected by economists. “Japan’s economy hit the bottom in the first quarter,” said Yoshimasa Maruyama, chief market economist at SMBC Nikko Securities. “The economy will certainly rebound this quarter thanks to rising wages although uncertainty remains on service consumption.”Capital spending, a key driver of private demand, fell 0.8% in the first quarter, versus an expected decline of 0.7%, despite hefty corporate earnings. External demand, or exports minus imports, knocked 0.3 of a percentage point off first quarter GDP estimates.

Persons: Downwardly, ”, Yoshimasa Maruyama Organizations: Tokyo Reuters, Nikko Securities, ”, Daihatsu, Bank of Japan Locations: Tokyo, “, Noto, Toyota’s

☆ US wholesale inflation just hit its highest rate in a year
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-14 | by ( Alicia Wallace | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

CNN —Wholesale inflation picked up in April to its highest rate in a year, as price hikes continue to weigh on American businesses and hamstring the Federal Reserve’s plans to cut interest rates. While higher energy costs (up 2% in April) pushed goods prices higher, services inflation is what drove the overall PPI higher. Even when excluding the volatile components of food and energy, “core” PPI accelerated instead of slowing as economists had anticipated. The core index was up 2.4% for the 12 months ended in April — the highest annual rate since August of last year. March’s core PPI was revised down to show that prices fell 0.1% from March and rose 2.1% annually.

Persons: Price Organizations: CNN, of Labor Statistics, PPI

☆ Dollar slips after unexpected rise in U.S. producer prices
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-13 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Euros, U.S. dollars, Canadian dollars, Russian rubles and Czech korunas lie on a table as banknotes. The dollar was slightly lower on Tuesday after an initial jump following an unexpected increase in U.S. producer prices in April that indicated inflation remained elevated early in the second quarter. The producer price index for final demand rose 0.5% last month after falling by a downwardly revised 0.1% in March, the Labor Department's Bureau of Labor Statistics said on Tuesday. The dollar index, which measures the U.S. currency against six rivals, was down 0.18% at 105.03. The dollar strengthened against the yen, up 0.15% at 156.43.

Organizations: Labor Department's Bureau of Labor Statistics Locations: Czech

☆ Job growth zoomed in March as payrolls jumped by 303,000 and unemployment dropped to 3.8%
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-05 | by ( Jeff Cox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Job creation in March easily topped expectations in a sign of continued acceleration for what has been a bustling and resilient labor market. The unemployment rate edged lower to 3.8%, as expected, even though the labor force participation rate moved higher to 62.7%, a gain of 0.2 percentage point from February. "This report and the February report showed some broadening in terms of job creation, which is a very good sign." Stocks have tumbled this week amid concerns that a strong labor market and resilient economy could keep the central bank on hold for longer than expected. Correction: The unemployment rate edged lower to 3.8%.

Persons: Nonfarm, Dow Jones, Lauren Goodwin, Jerome Powell Organizations: Dow, Labor Department's Bureau of Labor Statistics, Wall, Retail, New York Life Investments, Federal Reserve, Stock

☆ Wholesale inflation rose 0.6% in February, much more than expected
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-14 | by ( Jeff Cox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Wholesale prices accelerated at a faster-than-expected pace in February, another reminder that inflation remains a troublesome issue for the U.S. economy. The producer price index, which measures pipeline costs for raw, intermediate and finished goods, jumped 0.6% on the month, the Labor Department's Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Thursday. That was higher than the 0.3% forecast from Dow Jones and comes after a 0.3% increase in January. Another measure that also excludes trade services rose 0.4%, compared with the 0.6% gain in January, and was above the estimate for a 0.2% advance. The PPI is considered a leading indicator for inflation as it indicates costs early in the supply chain.

Persons: Dow Jones Organizations: Labor Department's Bureau of Labor Statistics, Dow, Futures, Commerce Department, Labor Department, PPI, BLS, CPI Locations: U.S

☆ Retail sales tumbled 0.8% in January, much more than expected
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-15 | by ( Jeff Cox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Consumer spending fell sharply in January, presenting a potential early danger sign for the economy, the Commerce Department reported Thursday. Advance retail sales declined 0.8% for the month following a downwardly revised 0.4% gain in December, according to the Census Bureau. Even excluding autos, sales dropped 0.6%, well below the estimate for a 0.2% gain. The sales report is adjusted for seasonal factors but not for inflation, so the report showed spending lagging the pace of price increases. While the New York survey still indicated contraction, it was a much better reading than January's -43.7 and the -15 estimate.

Persons: Dow Jones Organizations: Commerce Department, Advance, Census, Labor Department, Gas, Federal, Empire, Investors, Federal Reserve Locations: U.S, Philadelphia, New York, York

☆ US retail sales declined in January by much more than expected
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-15 | by ( Bryan Mena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Washington, DC CNN —Spending at US retailers tumbled much more than expected in January as cold weather across the United States kept shoppers at home after a robust holiday spending season. Retail sales, which captures spending on all goods and food services, fell 0.8% in January, the Commerce Department reported Thursday, breaking a two-month streak of increases. Spending declined across various categories last month, including at gas stations and home improvement stores, likely due to the cold weather, falling 1.7% and 4.1%, respectively. January’s Arctic chill also reversed course later in the month in some parts of the country and it’s possible that retail spending could come roaring back in February. “The Fed is likely to look through one month’s weak retail sales report, especially since there is an obvious explanation from a clearly temporary issue,” he said.

Persons: it’s, Bill Adams, “, ” Organizations: DC CNN, Commerce Department, Comerica Bank Locations: Washington, United States

The year opened with a bang as employers added 353,000 jobs in January, far exceeding the most optimistic of forecasts. Revisions also raised the November job number to 182,000 and also added 117,000 more jobs to December. “The labor market is certainly cooling,” Brent Schutte, chief investment officer at Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management, said ahead of the report. “I think the labor market by many measures is at or nearing normal, but not totally back to normal,” Powell told reporters. But it is hard to contain the enthusiasm that a strong jobs report along with moderating inflation is good for most Americans.

Persons: “, ”, Becky Frankiewicz, isn’t, ” “ We’re, December’s downwardly, ” Brent Schutte, seasonality, Amy Glaser, Glaser, Chris Todd, ” Todd, Jerome Powell, ” Powell, “ It’s, Julia Pollak, ” Schutte Organizations: ADP, Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management, Adecco, BLS, Federal Reserve, Federal

☆ Private payroll growth slowed to just 107,000 in January, below expectations, ADP reports
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-31 | by ( Jeff Cox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

A 7-Eleven convenience store has a sign in the window reading "Now Hiring" in Cambridge, Massachusetts, U.S., July 8, 2022. Private payroll growth declined sharply in January, a possible sign that the U.S. labor market is heading for a slowdown this year, ADP reported Wednesday. Only one sector — information services (-9,000) — reported a decline, but hiring was slow across virtually all sectors. While the ADP data can provide a barometer for private sector hiring, the two reports often differ, with ADP often undershooting the Labor Department's numbers. On wage gains, ADP reported a 5.2% annual rise, a number that has run above the government's measure of average hourly earnings.

Persons: Dow Jones, —, nonfarm, Nela Richardson Organizations: ADP, Companies, Labor, CNBC PRO Locations: Cambridge , Massachusetts, U.S

☆ Jobless claims fall to lowest level since 2022, while CEO exits hit new high
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-18 | by ( Alicia Wallace | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

New York CNN —The number of Americans making first-time claims for jobless benefits dropped last week to a level not seen since the fall of 2022, while CEO exits set a new high last year, according to fresh economic data released Thursday. There were an estimated 187,000 initial claims for unemployment insurance during the week that ended January 13, according to Department of Labor data released Thursday. That’s down by 16,000 claims from the week before and marked the lowest level of first-time claims — considered a proxy for layoffs — since September 24, 2022. Weekly claims data can be quite volatile and are frequently revised, and economists caution that some one-off influences — in this case, harsh weather and a new year — could be at play. “Historically, we’ve seen large economic shifts preceded by a surge in CEO exits,” Andrew Challenger, senior vice president of Challenger, Gray & Christmas, said in a statement.

Persons: —, ” Andrew Challenger, Challenger, ”, “, ” Matthew Martin, Ian Shepherdson, ” Shepherdson Organizations: New, New York CNN, of Labor, Challenger, ”, Oxford Economics, ’, ” Thursday’s Labor Department Locations: New York, US

☆ U.S. payrolls increased by 216,000 in December, much better than expected
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-05 | by ( Jeff Cox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

December's jobs report showed employers added 216,000 positions for the month while the unemployment rate held at 3.7%. Economists surveyed by Dow Jones had been looking for payrolls to increase 170,000 and the unemployment rate to nudge higher to 3.8%. That increase in the "real" unemployment rate came as the household survey, used to calculate the unemployment rate, showed a decline in job holders of 683,000 as the ranks of those working multiple jobs increased by 222,000. Major averages meandered through the day as markets reacted to a lower than expected reading from the ISM services gauge. The report showed that inflationary pressures, despite receding elsewhere, are still prevalent in the labor market.

Persons: downwardly, Dow Jones, Andrew Patterson Organizations: Labor Department, meandered, Treasury, Leisure, Federal Reserve, CME, Vanguard Locations: U.S

☆ Private payrolls added 164,000 in December, beating expectations, ADP says
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-04 | by ( Jeff Cox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Hiring in the private sector rose at a faster-than-expected pace in December, closing out a strong 2023 for the resilient U.S. jobs market, ADP reported Thursday. Private payrolls increased by 164,000 for the month, a substantial rise from the downwardly revised 101,000 in November and better than the 130,000 estimate from the Dow Jones consensus, according to the payrolls processing firm. A rebound in leisure and hospitality led the way, as the sector added 59,000 positions, ADP reported. The sector also led in wage gains, with annual growth of 6.4%. Construction contributed 24,000 to the total, while the other services category, which includes dry cleaning and other support businesses, added 22,000.

Persons: payrolls, Dow Jones Organizations: ADP, Dow

☆ There haven't been this few job openings in 2 years. It's exactly what the Fed's been hoping for.
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-05 | by ( Phil Rosen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

US job openings in October fell to their lowest level since 2021. In October, available job openings fell to 8.7 million from a downwardly revised 9.4 million in September. Driven largely by the retail sector, the number of job openings dipped from a downwardly revised 9.4 million job openings in September, to 8.7 million by the end of October, below the consensus forecast among economists surveyed by Bloomberg, and the lowest level since early 2021. AdvertisementThe latest job opening figures reinforce the case for a soft-landing scenario — job openings are moving higher yet the unemployment has remained relatively low. "By that ratio, a measure of labor market tightness often cited by Fed Chair Jerome Powell, the labor market has slackened substantially in recent months."

Persons: It's, —, Julia Pollak, Jerome Powell, Pollak, CME's Organizations: Service, Federal Reserve, Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Bloomberg, Fed, ING, Barclays

The number of job openings fell sharply in October, to 8.7 million from a downwardly revised 9.35 million a month earlier, according to the Labor Department. The number released Tuesday was lower than economists had forecast and suggests that the labor market is slowing as the year comes to an end. “Job openings dropped to 8,733,000 in October, the lowest level since March 2021. Despite some volatile jumps/drops month-to-month, job openings have been on a downward trend since early 2022,” Daniel Zhao, lead economist and senior manager on Glassdoor’s economic research team, posted on social media. The Federal Reserve will be looking at the latest readings on the labor market as they come one week before officials meet to consider monetary policy.

Persons: ” Daniel Zhao, Jeffrey Roach, Joanie Bily, ” Bily, “, Jerome Powell Organizations: Labor Department, LPL, American Staffing Association, ” Nomura Securities, Hollywood, Government, Federal, Fed

☆ US factory orders fall 3.6% in October
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Autonomous robots assemble an X model SUV at the BMW manufacturing facility in Greer, South Carolina, U.S. November 4, 2019. Factory orders fell 3.6% after a downwardly revised 2.3% inSeptember, the Commerce Department's Census Bureau said on Monday, the biggest monthly drop since April 2020. Orders for durable goods fell 5.4%, with orders for transportation equipment slumping 14.7%. Electrical equipment, appliances and components orders fell 1.1%. Shipments of manufactured goods fell 1.4%.

Persons: Charles Mostoller, Lindsay Dunsmuir, Chizu Organizations: BMW, REUTERS, U.S, Commerce, Reuters, Machinery, Manufacturing, Thomson Locations: Greer , South Carolina, U.S, Commerce Department's

The dollar index , which measures its value against six major currencies, fell as far as 102.89, the lowest since Aug. 31. The index is on track for a loss of more than 3% in November, its worst performance since November 2022. The Conference Board said its consumer confidence index increased to 102.0 this month from a downwardly revised 99.1 in October. In other currencies, the euro rose to a 3-1/2-month peak of $1.0985 . The dollar fell 0.2% to 148.33 yen , with the Japanese currency continuing its recovery from the brink of 152 per dollar earlier in the month.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Sterling, Karl Schamotta, underscoring, Gertrude Chavez, Dreyfuss, Alun John, Brigid Riley, Ed Osmond, Mark Potter, Kevin Liffey Organizations: REUTERS, U.S, Federal Reserve, Board, Federal Housing Finance Agency, Traders, Australian, New Zealand, Reserve Bank of New, Thomson Locations: Swiss, U.S, Toronto, OPEC, Reserve Bank of New Zealand, New York, London, Tokyo

☆ US consumer confidence rises in November
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

A woman carries shopping bags during the holiday season in New York City, U.S., December 21, 2022. REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsWASHINGTON, Nov 28 (Reuters) - U.S. consumer confidence rose in November after three straight monthly declines, though households continued to anticipate a recession over the next year, a survey showed on Tuesday. The Conference Board said its consumer confidence index increased to 102.0 this month from a downwardly revised 99.1 in October. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast the index dipping to 101.0 from the previously reported 102.6. Reporting by Lucia Mutikani; Editing by Chizu NomiyamaOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Eduardo Munoz, Lucia Mutikani, Chizu Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Board, Reuters, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S

Consumers grew somewhat more optimistic about the future of the economy in November as expectations about inflation improved, but their sense of the current state of affairs worsened a bit. Still, two-thirds of consumers surveyed still expect a recession to be “somewhat” or “very likely” within the next 12 months. However, that is well above current inflation of 3.2% and forecasts from the Federal Reserve and mainstream economists. In the peak hour from 10 p.m. to 11 p.m. EST, consumers spent $15.7 million a minute, according to online analytics firm Adobe. One thing that might make some consumers happy is that home prices continued to increase in September.

Persons: ”, Dana Peterson, ” Peterson, Jeffrey Roach, Craig J, Lazzara, Lisa Sturtevant Organizations: Conference, Federal Reserve, LPL, “, Adobe, MLS Locations: Detroit, San Diego

☆ US durable goods orders fall on weakness in transportation equipment sector
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Durable goods are seen on sale in a store in Los Angeles, California, U.S., March 24, 2017. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast durable goods orders would decline 3.1%. Durable goods orders rose 4.0% on a year-over-year basis in October. These so-called core capital goods orders were previously reported to have risen 0.5% in September. Business spending on equipment spending contracted in the third quarter.

Persons: Lucy Nicholson, Detroit's, Lucia Mutikani, Paul Simao Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, United Auto Workers, UAW, Data, Reuters, Manufacturing, General Motors, Ford, Chrysler, Civilian, Boeing, Machinery, Thomson Locations: Los Angeles , California, U.S, Department's

☆ Global stocks jump and dollar slumps after weak U.S. jobs data
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-03 | by ( Harry Robertson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The dollar tumbled after the data, which showed that the U.S. nonfarm payrolls rose by 150,000 in October, lower than the 180,000 predicted and September's downwardly revised 297,000 figure. MSCI's index of world stocks (.MIWD00000PUS) was last up 0.45%, having traded roughly 0.26% higher before the data. It was on track to finish the week 4.5% higher, which would be the largest weekly rise since November 2022. It traded 0.29% lower at 105.89 before the data. Reuters Graphics"Investors will interpret today’s jobs weak jobs report as a sign that demand is slowing in the labour market," said Richard Flynn, managing director at Charles Schwab UK, in emailed comments.

Persons: Androniki, nonfarm, September's downwardly, Richard Flynn, Charles Schwab, BoE, Samuel Zief, Brent, Harry Robertson, Jacqueline Wong, Miral Fahmy, Mark Heinrich, Alison Williams Organizations: Nikkei, REUTERS, Companies, Federal Reserve, Bank of England, Reuters Graphics, Treasury, JPMorgan Private Bank, U.S . Treasury, Thomson Locations: Tokyo, Japan, U.S, Israel

☆ The US economy added 150,000 jobs last month. Here’s what that means
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-03 | by ( Alicia Wallace | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Minneapolis CNN —For several months now, the US labor market has been on a cooling trajectory, and Friday’s jobs report made that even more apparent. The US economy added 150,000 jobs last month, falling below expectations but still notching a solid month of employment growth, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data released Friday. October’s job growth came in below September’s stronger-than expected but downwardly revised total of 297,000 jobs. Including the estimated 150,000 jobs added last month and the downward revisions to August and September that totaled 101,000 jobs, the United States is averaging 239,000 jobs gained per month so far this year. Where the jobs were — and weren’tBecause of the timing of the striking actions and how the BLS tracks such activity, October is the first jobs report that reflects the massive strike.

Persons: ”, Sung Won Sohn, Nancy Vanden Houten, Jerome Powell, Gus Faucher, Dante DeAntonio, ” DeAntonio, “ It’s, ” Ger Doyle, ManpowerGroup, Amy Glaser, we’ve, “ We’re Organizations: Minneapolis CNN —, of Labor Statistics, SS Economics, Loyola Marymount University, United Auto Workers, Ford, General Motors, UAW, Big, Federal Reserve, Fed, Oxford Economics, BLS, PNC Financial Services, Government, Moody’s, ”, CNN, “ Locations: Minneapolis, United States, Southern California

If U.S. and Chinese growth holds up, the investment landscape will need to be redrawn too. Reuters Image Acquire Licensing RightsBut what if peak bond bearishness is already upon us? As Societe Generale's Albert Edwards points out, once the quarterly deflator is factored in, nominal GDP growth in the third quarter was actually only 3.5%. Reuters Image Acquire Licensing RightsEqually, U.S. stocks look expensive if high yields start to choke the economy. Reuters Image Acquire Licensing Rights(The opinions expressed here are those of the author, a columnist for Reuters.)

Persons: Florence Lo, Societe Generale's Albert Edwards, Chris Iggo, Jamie McGeever, Chizu Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Societe Generale's, World Bank, International Monetary Fund, of America's, HSBC, Reuters, AXA Investment, Bank of America's, Thomson Locations: Rights ORLANDO , Florida, United States, China, Atlanta, Beijing, Europe, U.S, Bank

☆ UK economy grew 0.2% in August, propped up by services sector
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-12 | by ( Elliot Smith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

U.K. gross domestic product grew by 0.2% in August, the Office for National Statistics estimated Thursday, partially recovering from a downwardly revised 0.6% contraction in July. "It does not change the outlook for the Bank of England and confirms that the Bank Rate does not have much upside from here, but will remain at current levels for an extended period." The Bank of England last month ended a run of 14 consecutive interest rate hikes after data showed inflation was running below expectations. "The UK has grown faster than France and Germany since the pandemic and today's data shows the economy is more resilient than expected," U.K. Finance Minister Jeremy Hunt said Thursday. U.K. headline inflation dipped to an annual 6.7% in August, below expectations but still well above the Bank's 2% target.

Persons: Mathieu Savary, Jeremy Hunt, Thiru Organizations: Citibank, HSBC, National Statistics, BCA Research, Bank of England, of England, Bank, Finance, Institute of Chartered Accountants, Wales, Bank of England's Locations: Wharf, London, United Kingdom, U.K, European, France, Germany, England

We're be buying 200 shares of Coterra Energy (CTRA) at roughly $26.79 each. Following Monday's trade, Jim Cramer's Charitable Trust will own 1,750 shares of CTRA, increasing its weighting in the portfolio to 1.7% from 1.5%. We also do not believe shares are adequately reflecting the rise in natural gas prices over the past week and a half. Remember, Coterra's business is about 50-50 nat gas and oil . It's worth noting that CTRA stock was moving lower with nat gas and oil prices on Monday.

Persons: We're, Jim Cramer's, CTRA @NG, Jim Cramer, Jim, Gabby Jones Organizations: Coterra Energy, CTRA, Morning, Nat Gas, The U.S . Energy Information Administration, CNBC, The New York Stock Exchange, Bloomberg, Getty Locations: Ukraine, The, United States

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