Economic Updates
Keep up to date on the global economy and its impact on markets.
We see a mid-cycle slowdown, but upside on the horizon
Q1 2019 | Capital Markets Outlook
As the S&P 500 Index teetered on the verge of a bear market at year-end, we fielded numerous questions about the prospects for an impending recession.
Q1 2019 | Fixed Income Outlook
The outlook for global growth in 2019 has slipped because of rising real interest rates, trade tensions, and asset market volatility.
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Q1 2019 | Equity Outlook
Equity investors worldwide greeted the new year with an array of heightened concerns.
More »
Economic Update for March 18, 2019
Economy
- The CPI rose 0.2% and the core CPI increased 0.1% in February, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported.
- Durable goods orders rose 0.4% in January, the Census Bureau noted in an advance report.
- The Bureau of Labor Statistics noted that import and export prices both rose in February.
- The Producer Price Index for final demand climbed 0.1% in February, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Employment
- Initial jobless claims rose by 6,000 to 229,000 in the week ended March 9, 2019, according to the Labor Department.
Profits
- As of March 7, 2019, of the 497 S&P 500 Index companies reporting fourth-quarter earnings, 338 — or 68.0% — beat analysts’ expectations, according to S&P Dow Jones Indices.
Emotion
- The NFIB Small Business Optimism Index improved in February.
- The University of Michigan’s index of consumer sentiment jumped to 97.8 in March from 93.8 in February.