U.S. economy crushes predictions: 196K new jobs in March
Nearly 200,000 jobs were added to the U.S. economy last month — a figure that greatly surpassed expectations.
Economy
U.S. considering additional Iran sanctions, perhaps in May
The U.S. government is considering additional sanctions against Iran that would target areas of its economy that have not been hit before, a senior Trump administration official told reporters on Monday.
Federal Spending Hits Highest Level Since Bank Bailout and Obama Stimulus
The federal government spent $1,822,712,000,000 in the first five months of fiscal 2019, the most it has spent in the first five months of any fiscal year since 2009, which was the fiscal year that outgoing President George W. Bush signed a $700-billion law to bailout the banking industry and incoming President Barack Obama signed a $787-billion law to stimulate an economy then in recession.
Putin Kicks Off Massive New Gas Field in Russia’s Arctic
President Vladimir Putin has kicked off the full-scale development of one of Russia’s largest proven gas fields in the Yamal peninsula, the Kremlin reported on Wednesday.
Powell calls for returning focus to the federal debt
Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell said Wednesday that reducing the federal debt needs to return to the forefront of the agenda, warning that the government’s finances are unsustainable.
Federal Reserve Says No Rate Hikes, 2.1% GDP Growth In 2019
The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) concluded its meeting at 2 PM ET today and announced that the Federal Reserve would not raise fed fund rates. The revised dot plot—which records individual committee members’ projections for where interest rates will be at year-end—indicated that the Fed will pause any further rate hikes until 2020.
U.S. retail sales rise in January; December revised sharply lower
U.S. retail sales unexpectedly rose in January, lifted by an increase in purchases of building materials and discretionary spending, but receipts in December were much weaker than initially thought.
China February exports tumble the most in three years, spur fears of ‘trade recession’
China’s exports tumbled the most in three years in February while imports fell for a third straight month, pointing to a further slowdown in the economy and stirring talk of a ‘trade recession’, despite a spate of support measures.
UK will delay Brexit if MPs reject May’s deal – Hammond
Britain will probably have to delay its departure from the European Union if MPs reject the government’s proposed divorce deal in a vote next week, Finance Minister Philip Hammond said on Thursday.
UN Security Council Rejects U.S., Russia Resolutions On Venezuela
The UN Security Council has rejected rival resolutions on the crisis in Venezuela presented by the United States and Russia.
Israel and Iran both set to join Russia-led free trade zone
Israel is set to sign a free-trade agreement with the Russia-led Eurasian Economic Union in the near future, according to officials in Moscow and Jerusalem.
Labor Force Participation at Trump-Era High of 63.2% in January
The Labor Department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics said the economy added 304,000 jobs last month, higher than analysts were expecting.
Shutdown costs pegged at $3 billion as government reopens
The U.S. economy was expected to lose $3 billion from the partial federal government shutdown over President Donald Trump’s demand for border wall funding, congressional researchers said on Monday as 800,000 federal employees returned to work after 35 days without pay.
U.N. signs agreement with Qatar for one-time $20 million grant for Gaza
The United Nations and Qatar signed a memorandum of understanding Sunday night for a one-time grant of $20 million for humanitarian projects in Gaza, which the world body has in the past described as mired in a state of ‘constant humanitarian crisis.’
Shutdown’s damage to economy could exceed $5.7 billion cost of Trump’s border wall
The government shutdown — the longest in U.S. history — is estimated in 31 days to have cost the American economy almost as much as the $5.7 billion President Trump has demanded for his proposed southern border wall.
2018 Ends With Record Employment; Participation Rate Hits Trump-Era High
The Labor Department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics said on Friday the economy added an impressivve 312,000 jobs in December, which was a month of strong retail sales; and the nation’s unemployment rate increased two-tenths of a point to 3.9 percent, which is still an 18-year low.
Markets deliver historic Christmas Eve drop as Trump feuds with Fed
U.S. stocks fell sharply Monday, making it the worst Christmas Eve trading day ever.
Federal Reserve raises rates, over Trump protests, but signals it will slow rate hikes in 2019
Federal Reserve officials voted Wednesday to raise the central bank’s interest rate target, the fourth such rate increase of the year, but also signaled that they will slow the pace of rate hikes in 2019.
Asia stocks slide as global growth worries deepen
Asian share markets slumped on Tuesday as heightened concerns about a slowing global economy sent Wall Street stocks skidding to their lowest levels in more than a year.
Trump corners Democrats with threat to kill NAFTA: ‘It is going to force Congress to act’
Democratic congressional leaders are loath to acknowledge it, but President Trump has them cornered with his threat to terminate NAFTA if his new trade deal with Mexico and Canada isn’t approved.