By Tom Burnett CFA On March 22, 2023, the Federal Reserve raised the Fed Funds rate by 25 basis points to a range of 4.75%-5.0%. The vote was unanimous among all 12 voting members. In its press release, the Fed warned that additional “policy firming may be appropriate.” The Fed is remaining…
By Tom Burnett CFA On March 15, 2023, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported the Producer Price Index information for February. The PPI fell by 0.1% in February, after advancing 0.3% in January. Over the past 12 months, the PPI has risen by 4.6%, well below the 11.7% 12-month increase for March…
By Tom Burnett CFA On March 14, 2023, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported the consumer price information for the month of February. The Consumer Price Index rose 0.4% in February, after an increase of 0.5% in January. Over the past 12 months, the Index has increased by 6.0%, the smallest 12-month…
By Tom Burnett CFA On March 10, 2023, the Bureau of Labor Statistics released its employment report for the month of February. Total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 311,000 jobs in February, reaching a total of 155.4 million. Over the past 12 months, the economy has added some 6.0 million jobs…
By Tom Burnett CFA On February 24, 2023, the Bureau of Economic Analysis released its PCE price report for January. The PCE price indexes are the Federal Reserve’s main inflation data points. The PCE price index rose 0.6% in January, compared to a monthly increase of 0.2% in November and December.…