Haver Analytics
Haver Analytics
Global| Aug 03 2004

U.S. Personal Income Growth Slowed

Summary

Personal income grew an expected 0.2% last month. The slim gain followed growth of 0.6% in the prior two months. Wages & salaries fell slightly (+4.8% y/y) following several months of strong gain. The decline reflected weakness across [...]


Personal income grew an expected 0.2% last month. The slim gain followed growth of 0.6% in the prior two months.

Wages & salaries fell slightly (+4.8% y/y) following several months of strong gain. The decline reflected weakness across industries.

Personal disposable income grew 0.2% (6.2% y/y), down sharply from the gains of the prior several months. After accounting for a 2.5% y/y rise in prices, real disposable income rose 3.5%.

Consumer spending fell 0.7%, dragged lower by a 13.4% m/m skid in unit sales of light vehicles. No change in PCE had been expected. Non-durable goods spending also slipped by 0.3% (+8.4% y/y). Services rose 0.2% (4.9% y/y).

The PCE chain price index rose 0.2%. Less food & energy prices rose the same 0.1% (1.5% y/y) as the downwardly revised May.

The savings rate fell to 2.0% and prior figures were revised down.

"The Productivity and Jobs Connection: The Long and the Short Run of It" from the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco can be found here.

Disposition of Personal Income June May Y/Y 2003 2002 2001
Personal Income 0.2% 0.6% 5.4% 3.2% 1.8% 3.5%
Personal Consumption -0.7% 1.0% 5.3% 5.2% 4.6% 4.7%
Savings Rate 2.0% 1.2% 1.2% 1.4% 2.0% 1.8%
PCE Chain Price Index 0.2% 0.4% 2.5% 1.9% 1.4% 2.1%
  • Prior to joining Haver Analytics in 2000, Mr. Moeller worked as the Economist at Chancellor Capital Management from 1985 to 1999. There, he developed comprehensive economic forecasts and interpreted economic data for equity and fixed income portfolio managers. Also at Chancellor, Mr. Moeller worked as an equity analyst and was responsible for researching and rating companies in the economically sensitive automobile and housing industries for investment in Chancellor’s equity portfolio.   Prior to joining Chancellor, Mr. Moeller was an Economist at Citibank from 1979 to 1984.   He also analyzed pricing behavior in the metals industry for the Council on Wage and Price Stability in Washington, D.C.   In 1999, Mr. Moeller received the award for most accurate forecast from the Forecasters' Club of New York. From 1990 to 1992 he was President of the New York Association for Business Economists.   Mr. Moeller earned an M.B.A. in Finance from Fordham University, where he graduated in 1987. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from George Washington University.

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