Archive: Economic and Financial Digest
June 26, 2020 | Economic and Financial Digest
Coming Back to Life
The healing process has begun. With important economic data for May now in the books, it looks like the economy hit bottom in April. Not only have most economic indicators rebounded in May, they have come back much more strongly than expected on Wall Street. That together with some promising signs on the health front […]
May 27, 2020 | Economic and Financial Digest
Don’t Fear Inflation
The coronavirus recession has hit the U.S. with tremendous force. Following the sizeable 4.8 percent contraction in GDP during the first quarter – putting an end to the longest expansion on record—activity is poised to plunge by a depression-like 30- 40 percent annualized rate in the second quarter. The downturn is taking a unprecedented toll […]
April 24, 2020 | Economic and Financial Digest
Expect the Deepest Postwar Recession
The Covid-19 recession continues to wreak havoc on all sectors of the U.S. economy. Assuming 10-12 weeks of social-distancing and shelter-in-home restrictions from mid-March, the economy is poised to suffer the worst contraction during the second quarter since World War II. The decline in GDP, the broadest measure of economic activity, could reach an astonishing […]
March 24, 2020 | Economic and Financial Digest
RIP: The Longest Expansion
It won’t be confirmed for at least several months, but the U.S. is almost certainly heading into a recession. A little over a month ago, when the Covid-19 coronavirus first hit the headlines we, along with most economists, thought the nation could weather the storm if proper policies were quickly implemented and the outbreak contained […]
February 07, 2020 | Economic and Financial Digest
Consumers Will Be Less Feisty This Year
The economy ended 2019 with a bit more momentum than expected, as consumers ramped up spending and home construction soared to a 13- year high in December. These upbeat reports on retail sales and housing starts follow on the heels of other data that also came in on the strong side of the ledger. Most […]