U.S. retail sales unexpectedly fell in February for a third month, adding to signs that consumer spending will cool this quarter from the previous period’s hot pace, according to Commerce Department figures released Wednesday.
Jobs report surprise: 313,000 added in February
The US economy added 313,000 jobs in February. That was much stronger than economists expected and the biggest gain since July 2016, according to Labor Department figures published Friday. The unemployment rate stayed at 4.1%, the lowest in 17 years.
China’s Economy Grows Faster Than Expected on Strong Demand for Exports
China’s economy expanded faster than expected in the first two months of 2018, helped by strong overseas demand for Chinese goods, though economists warned trade tensions with the U.S.threaten to derail that momentum in the months ahead. (This article requires a subscription to the Wall Street Journal. To subscribe, please click on the above link.)
OECD raises Canada’s economic outlook, warns trade protectionism could hurt global growth
The OECD is raising its economic forecast for Canada amid a strengthening global economy, but also warns that tensions are appearing that could threaten global growth.
Rail Traffic for the Week ending March 10, 2018
The Association of American Railroads (AAR) today reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending March 10, 2018. For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 534,282 carloads and intermodal units, up 6.2 percent compared with the same week last year. Total carloads for the week ending March 10 were 256,075 carloads, up 1.6 […]
IEA sees U.S. oil output surge stealing OPEC share in next five years
U.S. shale oil output is set to surge over the next five years stealing market share from OPEC producers and moving the United States, once the world’s top oil importer, closer to self sufficiency, the International Energy Agency said on Monday.
U.S. Trade Deficit Widened Again in January
The foreign-trade deficit widened in January for the fifth straight month and hit its largest level in over nine years, as exports weakened in the first month of 2018. The U.S. trade gap in goods and services expanded 5.0% from the prior month to a seasonally adjusted $56.60 billion in January, the Commerce Department said […]
Trump’s Tariffs Won’t Hit 3% Growth Projections, Mnuchin Says
President Donald Trump’s plans to tariff steel and aluminum, which may prompt a global trade war, will not hurt his projections for U.S. growth, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said.
Bank of Canada keeps key interest rate at 1.25%, underlines trade uncertainty
In explaining its decision to maintain its benchmark rate at 1.25 per cent, the central bank notes that recent trade policy developments are a key source of uncertainty for the Canadian and global outlooks.
Cashing In: 5 Supply Chain Financing Trends
Supply chain financing solutions that allow both buyers and suppliers to optimize cash flow are becoming increasingly popular as more options become available. Here are five trends that are on the money.