Economy in Brief: 2021

• Total income jumps and wages strengthen. • Spending increases broadly. • Pricing power picks up. Personal income jumped a record 21.1% during March (29.0% y/y) after a 7.0% February fall, revised from -7.1%. A 19.7% rise had been [...]

• Overall Compensation rose 0.9% in Q1; year-on-year growth accelerate slightly to 2.6%. • Wage and salaries increased 1% in Q1 (2.7% y/y), while benefits grew 0.6% (2.5% y/y). The employment cost index (ECI) for civilian workers rose [...]

• Both initial state claims and PUA claims fell to pandemic lows. • Continuing state claims essentially unchanged at pandemic low. • Continuing claims for PUA and PEUC benefits both decline. Initial claims for unemployment insurance [...]

April brought a surge to the reading for all of the EMU in the European Commission’s index profile of the euro area. The index gain is the third largest month-to-month gain on data back to 2000. It is the largest month-to-month gain [...]

• Purchases remain constrained by limited supply. • Sales are mixed amongst regions. Pending home sales increased 1.9% (23.3% y/y) during March following an 11.5% February fall, revised from -10.6%. According to the National [...]

• Cash payments, vaccinations and reduced business restrictions lift consumer spending. • Business investment surges, again • Price index is lifted by energy and housing. Trillions of dollars in government aid as well as widespread [...]

• Cash payments, vaccinations and reduced business restrictions lift consumer spending. • Business investment surges, again • Price index is lifted by energy and housing. Trillions of dollars in government aid as well as widespread [...]

• Both initial state claims and PUA claims fell to pandemic lows. • Continuing state claims essentially unchanged at pandemic low. • Continuing claims for PUA and PEUC benefits both decline. Initial claims for unemployment insurance [...]