Monthly Archives: June 2015

[06/18/15]  Consumer prices in the United States rose in May at the fastest clip in over two years, as gasoline prices surged, suggesting the impact of lower oil prices on inflation probably is fading.

Other data on Thursday showed the economy gaining speed after stumbling in the first quarter. New applications for unemployment benefits fell last week to a near 15-year low and factory activity in the mid-Atlantic region accelerated to a six-month high in June.

The Consumer Price Index rose 0.4 percent last month after gaining 0.1 percent in April, the Labor Department said....

[06/15/15]  Builders are exuding more confidence in the real estate market as more buyers purchase homes with unwavering certainty. According to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI), builder confidence in the market for newly built, single-family homes in June reached a high of 59. This is an increase of five points from last month and the highest reading this year since September 2014. “Builders are reporting more serious and committed buyers at their job sites and this is reflected in recent government data showing that new-home sales and single-family construction are gaining momentum,” said Tom Woods, NAHB chairman and a home builder from Blue...

[06/15/15]  U.S. factory output slipped in May, hurt by a decline in oil refining that overshadowed solid gains by automakers. The Federal Reserve said Monday that manufacturing output declined 0.2 percent last month, as productivity has basically been flat since January. Manufacturing has been hurt by the stronger dollar, higher oil prices reducing equipment orders and activity at refiners, and previously by cold winter weather at the start of the year. "Manufacturers will continue to struggle with the impact of the dollar's rise for some time yet," said Paul Ashworth, chief U.S. economist at Capital Economics. Overall industrial production ??? which also includes utilities and mining ??? fell 0.2 percent in May. Mining...