Tag: politics

The Markets (as of market close August 2, 2019)

Not even a strong labor report could save stocks from tumbling last week, likely in response to President Trump’s tweet that he intended to raise tariffs on an additional $300 billion worth of Chinese imports beginning next month. Trading volume spiked last week as did volatility, with the Cboe Volatility Index® hitting its highest level since May. Rising trade tensions between the economic giants sent global stocks reeling while bond prices soared, sending yields plummeting. Each of the benchmark indexes listed here lost at least 2.60% last week, with the Nasdaq falling almost 4.00%.

Oil prices fell last week, closing at $55.23 per barrel by late Friday afternoon, down from the prior week’s price of $56.17. The price of gold (COMEX) spiked last week, closing at $1,452.70 by late Friday afternoon, up from the prior week’s price of $1,418.40. The national average retail regular gasoline price was $2.715 per gallon on July 29, 2019, $0.035 lower than the prior week’s price and $0.131 less than a year ago.

Chart reflects price changes, not total return. Because it does not include dividends or splits, it should not be used to benchmark performance of specific investments.

Last Week’s Economic News

• For the first time since 2008, the Federal Open Market Committee voted to lower interest rates. Following its July 31 meeting, the FOMC decided to lower the target range for the federal funds rate 25 basis points to 2.00%-2.25%. The Committee vote was not unanimous as 2 of the 10 members voted against a rate reduction. In any case, after noting that economic activity has been rising at a moderate rate, job gains have been solid, household spending has picked up, and the unemployment rate has remained low, the Committee noted that growth of business fixed investment has been soft and inflation is running below the Committee’s 2.00% target. Also of note, the Committee specifically referenced for the first time “global developments for the economic outlook” as a reason for lowering the target range for the federal funds rate.
• Employment rose by 164,000 jobs in July, and the unemployment rate remained at 3.7%. In 2018, employment gains had averaged 223,000 per month. In July, notable job gains occurred in professional and technical services (31,000), health care (30,000), social assistance (20,000), and financial activities (18,000). There were approximately 6.1 million unemployed in July, 88,000 more than in June. In July, the labor force participation rate was 63.0%, and the employment-population ratio was 60.7%. The average workweek decreased by 0.1 hour to 34.3 hours in July. Average hourly earnings rose by $0.08 to $27.98 last month — the same hourly increase as occurred in June. Over the past 12 months ended in July, average hourly earnings have increased by 3.2%.
• The trade deficit was $55.2 billion in June, down $0.2 billion from May’s revised deficit. Both imports (-$4.6 billion) and exports (-$4.4 billion) fell from their May respective totals. Year-to-date, the goods, and services deficit increased $23.2 billion, or 7.9%, from the same period in 2018. In June, goods trade deficits were noted with China ($30.2 billion), the European Union ($15.9 billion), Mexico ($9.2 billion), and Japan ($6.2 billion). Trade surpluses were with South and Central America ($4.8 billion), Hong Kong ($2.3 billion), Brazil ($1.3 billion), and the United Kingdom ($0.1 billion).
• Not unexpectedly, June saw prices for consumer products and services remain stable while consumer spending remained solid. According to the latest report from the Bureau of Economic Analysis, the personal consumption expenditures (PCE) price index, which measures changes in prices of consumer goods and services, inched up 0.1% in June over May. Excluding food and energy, consumer prices rose 0.2% in June. Personal income jumped 0.4% as did after-tax, or disposable, personal income. With a boost in income and low prices for goods and services, consumers spent more. PCE increased 0.3% in June. Much of the increase in consumer spending was attributable to nondurable goods and services. Consumers actually spent less on durable goods (expected to last at least three years).
• According to Markit’s survey, manufacturing firms continued to see a slowdown in July. The purchasing managers’ index last month fell to its lowest level since September 2009 with exports contracting for the second time in the last three months. Survey respondents noted softer demand for goods and muted business growth.
• The ISM® purchasing managers’ index also fell in July from a month earlier, dropping from 51.7% to 51.2%. Production, employment, and prices fell last month, but new orders, supplier deliveries, and inventories increased, which is a good start for August.
• For the week ended July 27, there were 215,000 claims for unemployment insurance, an increase of 8,000 from the previous week’s level, which was revised up by 1,000. According to the Department of Labor, the advance rate for insured unemployment claims remained at 1.2% for the week ended July 20. The advance number of those receiving unemployment insurance benefits during the week ended July 20 was 1,699,000, an increase of 22,000 from the prior week’s level, which was revised up by 1,000.

Eye on the Week Ahead

Following last week’s busy schedule of economic reports, this week does not include a lot of market-moving information. The Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) is expected to reveal similar job openings in June as existed in May. Another report of note, the Producer Price Index, saw producer prices increase slightly in June. It would not be surprising if prices showed no change in July.

The Markets (as of market close July 26, 2019)

The Markets (as of market close July 19, 2019)

Each of the benchmark indexes listed here closed last week in the red. Energy stocks dropped as oil prices fell. Stocks in communication services and transportation also declined, impacting the large-cap indexes. Comments from the Fed pointed to signs of economic distress and leaned toward a possible rate cut later this month. The small caps of the Russell 2000 dipped the most last week, followed by the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq, each of which fell more than 1.0%. The Global Dow and the Dow lost less than 1.0%. For the year, the tech stocks of the Nasdaq remain well in front, followed by the S&P 500 and the Dow, which have all gained over 15% from their 2018 closing values.

Oil prices plunged last week, closing at $55.97 per barrel by late Friday afternoon, down from the prior week’s price of $60.32. The price of gold (COMEX) continued to climb, closing at $1,426.50 by late Friday afternoon, up from the prior week’s price of $1,416.30. The national average retail regular gasoline price was $2.779 per gallon on July 15, 2019, $0.036 higher than the prior week’s price but $0.086 less than a year ago.

Chart reflects price changes, not total return. Because it does not include dividends or splits, it should not be used to benchmark performance of specific investments.

Last Week’s Economic News

• June was a good month for sales at the retail level, as receipts were 0.4% over the previous month. For the last 12 months ended in June, retail sales are up 3.4%. Falling gas prices actually held the cumulative sales figure down last month. Sales, excluding autos and gas, surged 0.7% in June. A closer look at the numbers points to evolving trends. Sales from electronics and appliance stores are down 0.3% for the month and 5.0% since June 2018. Sales at clothing stores edged 0.5% higher for the month, but are down 0.9% for the year. Department store sales fell 1.1% in June and are down 5.2% from a year ago. On the other hand, nonstore (online) retail sales continue to flourish — up 1.7% in June and 13.4% over the past 12 months.
• Import prices dropped 0.9% in June, pulled down by falling fuel prices (-6.5%). This marks the first monthly decrease in import prices since December 2018. Excluding fuel, import prices decreased 0.3% for June and are off 1.4% for the year. Over the last 12 months ended in June, import prices have plunged 2.0% — the largest 12-month drop since the index fell 2.2% from August 2015 to August 2016. Export prices for domestic goods and services sold to foreign buyers fell 0.7% in June, after decreasing 0.2% in May. The June decline was the largest monthly drop since an 0.8% decrease in November 2018. Exports fell 1.6% for the year ended in June, the largest 12-month decline since the index decreased 2.4% from August 2015 to August 2016. Overall, this report further highlights the lack of inflationary pressures both here and globally.
• Industrial production was unchanged in June, as increases for both manufacturing (+0.4%) and mining (+0.2%) were offset by a drop in utilities (-3.6%). For the second quarter as a whole, industrial production declined at an annual rate of 1.2%, its second consecutive quarterly decrease. Overall, total industrial production was 1.3% higher in June than it was a year earlier.
• Judging by the dearth of applications for building permits and new residential construction, it doesn’t look like there will be a glut of new housing units on the market. Housing starts fell again last month, dropping 0.9% from May’s totals. On the plus side, single-family housing starts increased 3.5% in June. Building permits sank 6.1% in June and are down 6.6% from a year earlier. Housing completions also plummeted, decreasing 4.8% for the month and 3.7% below June 2018.
• For the week ended July 13, there were 216,000 claims for unemployment insurance, an increase of 8,000 from the previous week’s level, which was revised down by 1,000. According to the Department of Labor, the advance rate for insured unemployment claims remained at 1.2% for the week ended July 6. The advance number of those receiving unemployment insurance benefits during the week ended July 6 was 1,686,000, a decrease of 42,000 from the prior week’s level, which was revised up by 5,000.

Eye on the Week Ahead

Quite a bit of economic information is out this week, including June’s housing figures, durable goods orders (which have been lagging), and the first report on the second-quarter gross domestic product. The economy grew at an annualized rate of 3.1% in the first quarter.

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The Markets (as of market close July 12, 2019)

Both the Dow and the S&P 500 reached new record highs last week. The Dow surged past 27000 for the first time, while the S&P 500 surpassed the 3000 threshold. Anticipated testimony from Fed Chairman Jerome Powell lent credence to the expected interest rate cut at the end of the month. Powell indicated that “uncertainties around trade tensions and concerns about the strength of the global economy continue to weigh on the U.S. economic outlook.” In addition to news that interest rates may decrease, the anticipated trade talks between the United States and China, coupled with last week’s strong jobs report, provided a boost to stocks. Along with a strong performance from the large-cap indexes, the tech-heavy Nasdaq enjoyed a good week and leads the way year-to-date, up almost 25.0%. The small caps didn’t fare quite as well, recording modest losses last week.

Oil prices surged ahead last week, climbing to $60.32 per barrel by late Friday afternoon, up from the prior week’s price of $57.69. The price of gold (COMEX) rebounded last week, jumping to $1,416.30 by late Friday afternoon, ahead of the prior week’s price of $1,402.10. The national average retail regular gasoline price was $2.743 per gallon on July 8, 2019, $0.030 higher than the prior week’s price but $0.114 less than a year ago.

Chart reflects price changes, not total return. Because it does not include dividends or splits, it should not be used to benchmark performance of specific investments.

Last Week’s Economic Headlines

• Inflationary pressures at the consumer level remained tame in June, according to the latest Consumer Price Index. Consumer prices for goods and services inched up 0.1% last month, the same increase as in May. Over the last 12 months, the CPI has increased 1.6%. Keeping the CPI in check was a 2.3% drop in energy prices. Otherwise, the index for all items less food and energy rose 0.3% in June, its largest monthly increase since January 2018. Prices for apparel used cars and trucks, and household furnishings all boasted strong increases in June. The strength of this report could make some members of the Federal Reserve think twice about cutting interest rates when the Committee meets at the end of the month.
• The Producer Price Index, which measures goods and services prices before reaching the consumer, advanced 0.1% in June, the same increase as in May, and comparable to the increases the CPI has experienced over the same 2 months. Over the last 12 months, the PPI has risen 1.7%. Within the index, services rose 0.4% in June, the largest increase since climbing 0.8% in October 2018. Conversely, goods moved down 0.4% in June, the largest decrease since falling 0.6% in January. Most of the drop in goods prices is attributable to a 5.0% fall in gasoline prices. Excluding food and energy, producer prices rose 0.3% in June and 2.3% over the last 12 months.
• The government deficit for June was $8.5 billion, significantly lower than the May deficit of $207.8 billion. Individual income taxes provided the largest source of revenue for the government in June, totaling $141.1 billion. The government’s largest monthly expenditure in June was for Social Security, which exceeded $780 billion. For the fiscal year, which began last October, the government deficit sits at $747.1 billion. Over the same period last fiscal year, the deficit was $607.1 billion.
• According to the latest figures from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were far more job openings than hires in May. The number of job openings was little changed at 7.3 million on the last business day of May compared to April. The number of hires decreased by 266,000 to 5.7 million in May. The number of separations fell 192,000 in May from the prior month. Quits are generally voluntary separations initiated by the employee. Therefore, the quits rate can serve as a measure of workers’ willingness or ability to leave jobs. The number of quits was little changed in May at 3.4 million. The quits rate was 2.3%. Net employment change results from the relationship between hires and separations. Over the 12 months ended in May, hires totaled 69.5 million and separations totaled 66.9 million, yielding a net employment gain of 2.6 million.
• For the week ended July 6, there were 209,000 claims for unemployment insurance, a decrease of 13,000 from the previous week’s level, which was revised up by 1,000. According to the Department of Labor, the advance rate for insured unemployment claims remained at 1.2% for the week ended June 29. The advance number of those receiving unemployment insurance benefits during the week ended June 29 was 1,723,000, an increase of 27,000 from the prior week’s level, which was revised up by 10,000.

Eye on the Week Ahead

Industrial production has been lagging, perhaps due, in part, to the ongoing trade impasse between the United States and China. This week’s report on industrial production for June from the Federal Reserve will provide the latest information on the manufacturing sector.

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The Markets (as of market close July 5, 2019)

Last week, June’s labor report was strong enough to likely prompt the Fed to hold interest rates at their current level (and forestall a rate cut). Feeding off the latest labor figures, stocks pushed ahead during the holiday-shortened week as each of the benchmark indexes listed here posted gains. The Nasdaq led the way, gaining close to 2.0%, followed by the large caps of the S&P 500 and the Dow, each of which enjoyed a solid week. The Global Dow gained close to 1.0%, despite evidence of a slowing global economy. Pulling up the rear was the Russell 2000, which added over 0.5% in value by last week’s end. Despite the performance of stocks, long-term bond yields held steady as prices inched down marginally.

Oil prices fell to $57.69 per barrel by late Friday afternoon, down from the prior week’s price of $58.16. The price of gold (COMEX) fell last week, dropping to $1,402.10 by late Friday afternoon, down from the prior week’s price of $1,413.30. The national average retail regular gasoline price was $2.713 per gallon on July 1, 2019, $0.059 higher than the prior week’s price but $0.131 less than a year ago.

Chart reflects price changes, not total return. Because it does not include dividends or splits, it should not be used to benchmark performance of specific investments.

Last Week’s Economic Headlines

• There were 224,000 new jobs added in June, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Employment growth has averaged 172,000 per month thus far this year, compared with an average monthly gain of 223,000 in 2018. In June, notable job gains occurred in professional and business services, health care, and transportation and warehousing. Both the unemployment rate and the number of unemployed inched up in June compared to May. The unemployment rate rose 0.1 percentage point to 3.7%, and the number of unemployed increased from 5.9 million in May to 6.0 million in June. The number of those unemployed for 27 weeks or longer increased 116,000 to 1.4 million in June from the prior month. The labor force participation rate inched up 0.1 percentage point to 62.9%. In June, the employment-population ratio was 60.6% for the fourth month in a row. The average workweek for all employees was unchanged at 34.4 hours in June. Average hourly earnings rose by $0.06 to $27.90 in June, following a $0.09 gain in May. Over the past 12 months, average hourly earnings have increased by 3.1%.
• The two main sources for predicting manufacturing activity according to purchasing managers, the Institute for Supply Management® and IHS Markit, each reported that operating conditions in the manufacturing sector were relatively stagnant in June. The Markit report saw its manufacturing index inch up 0.1 percentage point to 50.6 in June compared to May. New order growth was the slowest it has been in almost three years. As output waned, manufacturers reined in hiring at its slowest pace in several years. Inflationary pressures remained muted despite slight accelerations in rates of output charge and input price inflation.
• The report from the Institute for Supply Management® saw its purchasing manufacturing index fall 0.4 percentage point in June from May. Survey respondents reported that new orders fell, while production and new hires increased.
• In the non-manufacturing or services sector, business slowed in June to its lowest rate in almost two years, according to the latest Non-Manufacturing ISM® Report On Business®. New orders, employment, and business activity (production) each dropped off in June, while costs edged up. This report, coupled with the reports on business activity in the manufacturing sector, may reinforce the expectation that the Federal Reserve will reduce interest rates later this summer.
• The Census Bureau reported last week that the goods and services international trade deficit was $55.5 billion in May, up $4.3 billion from the April deficit. May exports were $210.6 billion, $4.2 billion more than April exports. May imports were $266.2 billion, $8.5 billion more than April imports. Year-to-date, the goods, and services deficit increased $15.7 billion, or 6.4%, from the same period in 2018. Exports increased $5.1 billion, or 0.5%. Imports increased $20.8 billion, or 1.6%. May figures show monthly surpluses with South and Central America ($4.1 billion and Hong Kong ($2.6 billion). Notable monthly trade deficits in May existed with China ($30.1 billion), the European Union ($16.9 billion), Mexico ($9.1 billion), and Japan ($6.0 billion).
• For the week ended June 29, there were 221,000 claims for unemployment insurance, a decrease of 8,000 from the previous week’s level, which was revised up by 2,000. According to the Department of Labor, the advance rate for insured unemployment claims remained at 1.2% for the week ended June 22. The advance number of those receiving unemployment insurance benefits during the week ended June 22 was 1,686,000, a decrease of 8,000 from the prior week’s level, which was revised up by 6,000.

Eye on the Week Ahead

Inflationary pressures have been weak for much of the year. This week, both the Consumer Price Index and the Producer Price Index for June are out and will provide a good indication of the direction of consumer prices for the rest of the summer.

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The second quarter was full of ups and downs for stocks as investors had plenty to worry about. Throughout the quarter, the trade war between the United States and China ebbed and flowed as news continuously changed from positive to negative. Employment was steady and the unemployment rate remained low, but wage growth was moderate at best. Manufacturing and industrial production hit a snag during the second quarter, as did business fixed investment.

April saw stocks post solid returns as each of the benchmark indexes listed here enjoyed gains of at least 2.5%. The yield on 10-year Treasuries increased by 10 basis points as prices fell. A solid start to corporate earnings season helped support stocks, as did low-interest rates and weak consumer price pressures. The March labor report helped quell investors’ fears, as almost 200,000 new jobs were added. As to the major indexes listed here, the Nasdaq led the way, gaining over 4.7%, followed by the S&P 500, which closed the month up by almost 4.0%. The small caps of the Russell 2000 and the Global Dow each rose by nearly 3.3%. The Dow, while pulling up the rear, still gained over 2.5% by the end of April.

Unfortunately, the gains of April were lost in May as stocks fell sharply, closing out their worst month since last December. Encouraging rhetoric at the end of April that a trade deal could be reached between the United States and China was quickly replaced in early May with the imposition of new tariffs on U.S. imports from China. Retaliatory tariffs on U.S. exports entering China soon followed. The Nasdaq and Russell 2000 fell almost 8.0% in May, while the S&P 500, Dow, and Global Dow each dropped by more than 6.5%. Money moved from stocks to bonds, driving prices higher and yields lower. The yield on 10-year Treasuries sank 37 basis points to close May at 2.13%. Crude oil prices, which had exceeded $60 per barrel in April, plummeted by almost $10 per barrel by the end of May.

Stocks rebounded during the middle of June and soared by the end of the month. The tech-heavy Nasdaq led the monthly gains, reaching almost 7.5%, followed by the Dow, which also gained over 7.0% for the month. The Fed’s decision to hold interest rates helped drive investors to stocks. Still, investors sought long-term bonds, driving prices higher and yields lower.

Ultimately, stocks posted solid gains by the end of the second quarter. Each of the benchmark indexes listed here closed the quarter with gains, although not close to the double-digit returns earned at the end of the first quarter. Low inflation, the trade war between China and the United States, and news that the Fed is considering lowering interest rates helped quell investors’ concerns. The large caps of the S&P 500 led the way at the end of the second quarter, gaining 3.79%, followed closely by the tech stocks of the Nasdaq, the Dow, the Global Dow, and the small caps of the Russell 2000, which eked out a quarterly gain of 1.74%. By the close of trading on June 28, the price of crude oil (WTI) was $58.16 per barrel, up from the May 31 price of $53.33 per barrel. The national average retail regular gasoline price was $2.654 per gallon on June 24, down from the May 27 selling price of $2.822 and $0.179 lower than a year ago. The price of gold soared by the end of June, rising to $1,413.30 by close of business on the 28th, up from $1,310.30 at the end of May.

Chart reflects price changes, not total return. Because it does not include dividends or splits, it should not be used to benchmark performance of specific investments.

Latest Economic Reports

• Employment: Total employment edged up 75,000 in May after adding 224,000 (revised) new jobs in April. The average monthly job gain in 2019 was 164,000 per month (223,000 in 2018). Notable employment increases for May occurred in professional and business services (33,000) and health care (16,000). The unemployment rate remained at 3.6% in May after falling 0.2 percentage point in April. The number of unemployed persons was little changed at 5.9 million. The labor participation rate was 62.8% and the employment-population ratio was 60.6% — both unchanged in May. The average workweek was unchanged at 34.4 hours for May. Average hourly earnings increased by $0.06 to $27.83. Over the last 12 months ended in May, average hourly earnings have risen 3.1%.
• FOMC/interest rates: As expected, the Federal Open Market Committee did not change interest rates following its latest meeting in June. Lack of price inflation and slowing economic growth underscored the Committee’s reluctance to raise rates. In fact, there is a growing sentiment among Committee members to lower rates in the near future, as projections released by the FOMC in June show the federal funds rate range at between 1.9% and 2.4% by the end of 2019.
• GDP/budget: The third and final estimate of the first-quarter gross domestic product showed the economy grew at an annualized rate of 3.1%. The GDP expanded at a rate of 2.2% for the fourth quarter of 2018. Driving the growth rate increase was an upturn in nonresidential (business) fixed investment, state and local government spending, and exports, coupled with a smaller decrease in residential investment. These movements were partly offset by decelerations in consumer spending (0.9% in the first quarter compared to 2.5% in the fourth quarter). The federal budget deficit was $207.8 billion in May after enjoying a surplus of $160.3 billion in April ($146.8 billion in May 2018). Through the first eight months of the fiscal year, the government deficit sits at $738.6 billion. Over the same period for fiscal year 2018, the deficit was $532.2 billion.
• Inflation/consumer spending: Inflationary pressures remain weak as consumer prices are up 1.5% over the last 12 months ended in May. Consumer prices excluding food and energy are up 1.6% over the same 12-month period. For the month, consumer prices rose 0.2% over April, when prices increased 0.3%. In May, consumer spending rose 0.4% (0.6% in April). Personal income and disposable (after-tax) personal income climbed 0.5% in May, respectively, matching the same increases as in April.
• The Consumer Price Index increased 0.1% in May after rising 0.3% in April and 0.4% in March. Over the 12 months ended in May, the CPI rose 1.8%. The food index rose 0.3% in May after declining in April, with the food index accounting for nearly half of the May CPI monthly increase. The energy index fell 0.6% in May, with the gasoline index falling 0.5%. Core prices, less food, and energy, also inched up 0.1% in May for the fourth consecutive month. Core prices have risen 2.0% over the 12 months ended in May.
• According to the Producer Price Index, the prices companies received for goods and services rose 0.1% in May after climbing 0.2% in April. The index increased 1.8% for the 12 months ended in May. The index less foods, energy, and trade services moved up 0.4% in May, the same increase as in April, and has increased 2.3% over the last 12 months.
• Housing: Activity in the housing market can be described as erratic at best. Existing home sales rose 2.5% in May after registering no change in April from the prior month. Year-over-year, existing home sales remain down 1.1% (4.4% for the 12 months ended in April). Existing home prices continue to rise, as the May median price for existing homes was $277,700, up from $267,300 the prior month. Existing home prices were up 4.8% from May 2018. Total housing inventory for existing homes for sale in May increased to 1.92 million, up from 1.83 million existing homes available for sale in April and 2.7% ahead of sales a year ago. Sales of new single-family houses fell a whopping 7.8% in May following an April dip of 3.8% (revised). New home sales are now 3.7% below their May 2018 estimate. The median sales price of new houses sold in May was $308,000 ($342,200 in April). The average sales price was $377,200 ($393,700 in April). Inventory at the end of May was at a supply of 6.4 months (5.9 months in April).
• Manufacturing: According to the Federal Reserve, industrial production rebounded in May, rising 0.4%, after falling 0.4% in April. In May, the indexes for manufacturing and mining gained 0.2% and 0.1%, respectively, while the index for utilities climbed 2.1%. Total industrial production was 2.0% higher in May than it was a year earlier. After showing signs of life during the first quarter, durable goods orders fell 1.3% in May after dropping 2.8% (revised) in April. New orders for transportation equipment drove the decrease, plummeting 4.6% for the month.
• Imports and exports: In another sign that inflationary pressures are weak, import prices fell 0.3% in May after advancing 0.1% in April. This is the first monthly decline since a 1.4% decline in December. Import fuel prices declined 1.0% in May, after rising 25.4% over the previous four months. Nonfuel import prices were also down, falling 0.3% in May. Year-to-date, import prices are down 1.5% — the largest year-over-year decline since August 2016. Prices for exports dropped 0.2% in May following a 0.1% bump in April. Export prices have fallen 0.7% since May 2018. The latest information on international trade in goods and services, out June 6, is for April and shows that the goods and services deficit was $50.8 billion, down from the $51.9 billion deficit in March. April exports were $206.8 billion, $4.6 billion less than March exports. April imports were $257.6 billion, $5.7 billion less than March imports. Year-to-date, the goods, and services deficit increased $4.1 billion, or 2.0%, from the same period in 2018. Exports increased $8.3 billion, or 1.0%. Imports increased $12.4 billion, or 1.2%. The advance report on international trade in goods (excluding services) revealed the trade deficit to be $74.5 billion in May, up from the $70.6 billion deficit in April. Goods exports in May were $4.1 billion more than the prior month, while imports of goods were $7.8 billion more than April’s goods imports.
• International markets: Escalating tensions between the United States and Iran have added to the already nervous world economy. In response to another round of tariffs imposed by the United States, China is lowering tariffs on imports it receives from other countries while raising duties on imports received from America. The United Kingdom’s gross domestic product fell sharply in April, down 0.4%, which marks the steepest drop since March 2016.
• Consumer confidence: The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index® fell to 121.5 in June, down from May’s index of 131.3. The Present Situation Index — based on consumers’ assessment of current business and labor market conditions — decreased from 170.7 to 162.6. The Expectations Index — based on consumers’ short-term outlook for income, business and labor market conditions — decreased from 105.0 last month to 94.1 in June.

Eye on the Month Ahead

The third quarter of the year will likely bring much of the same tumult as was found in the second quarter. Employment should remain strong, although wage growth has been relatively slow. It is worth noting that the Federal Open Market Committee has scaled back its views on economic growth and inflationary trends. In response, interest rates are not likely to increase in the foreseeable future and actually may be reduced. In any case, it appears that the ongoing trade war with China, coupled with tensions between the United States and Iran, will continue to impact the world economy and the U.S. stock market.

The Markets (as of market close June 21, 2019)

Stocks enjoyed another week of strong growth as investors were encouraged by the Fed’s decision to keep interest rates unchanged and hope for a resolution to the ongoing trade war between the United States and China. Each of the benchmark indexes listed here posted solid gains last week, led by the Nasdaq and the Global Dow. During the week, the S&P 500 reached a record high, as did the Dow — this despite growing tensions between the United States and Iran. For the year, the Nasdaq is firmly ahead of its 2018 closing value, while the S&P 500 is approaching a gain of 20% for 2019.

Oil prices rose to $57.60 per barrel by late Friday afternoon, up from the prior week’s price of $52.51. On news that interest rates might be in line for a reduction, the price of gold (COMEX) spiked last week, climbing to $1,402.70 by late Friday afternoon, up from the prior week’s price of $1,344.80. The national average retail regular gasoline price was $2.670 per gallon on June 17, 2019, $0.062 lower than the prior week’s price and $0.209 less than a year ago.

Chart reflects price changes, not total return. Because it does not include dividends or splits, it should not be used to benchmark performance of specific investments.

Last Week’s Economic Headlines

• Once again, the Federal Open Market Committee decided to maintain the federal funds rate at its current range of 2.25%-2.50%. Interestingly, one member of the voting Committee, St. Louis Fed President James Bullard, dissented in favor of lowering the target range for the federal funds rate by 25 basis points. The Committee noted that job gains have been solid, the unemployment rate has remained low, and household spending has picked up from earlier in the year. However, business fixed investment has been soft and inflation is running below the Committee’s 2% target rate.
• New home construction slowed in May, which could impact available inventory over the summer. Housing starts and home completions fell 0.9% and 9.5%, respectively, in May. On the positive side, building permits increased 0.3%, and permits for single-family homes jumped 3.7% in May over April’s totals.
• The housing market finally may be picking up steam. Sales of existing homes rose 2.5% in May over April’s revised total, which rose from a decline of 0.4%, to no change over March. Over the last 12 months, sales of existing homes are down 1.1%. The median existing-home price in May was $277,700 ($267,300 in April), up 4.8% from May 2018 ($265,100). Total housing inventory at the end of May increased to 1.92 million, up from 1.83 million existing homes available for sale in April. This represents a 4.3-month supply at the current sales pace, up from the 4.2-month supply in April.
• For the week ended June 15, there were 216,000 claims for unemployment insurance, a decrease of 6,000 from the previous week’s level. According to the Department of Labor, the advance rate for insured unemployment claims remained at 1.2% for the week ended June 8. The advance number of those receiving unemployment insurance benefits during the week ended June 8 was 1,662,000, a decrease of 37,000 from the prior week’s level, which was revised up by 4,000.

Eye on the Week Ahead

The May figures on new home sales are available this week. Prices are rising and sales have been picking up. Also out this week are the final figures on the gross domestic product for the first quarter. The second iteration of the report showed the economy grew at an annualized rate of 3.1%.

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The Markets (as of market close June 14, 2019)

While not as robust as the prior week, stocks still managed to post gains for the second week in a row. Last week started off with a bang for the benchmark indexes listed here, only to slip lower by Friday as tensions in the Middle East mounted. After getting pummeled in May, stocks have slowly regained some momentum during the early part of June. Year-to-date gains for each of the indexes listed here are in double digits, except for the Global Dow, which is off by less than half a percentage point. Oil prices slipped again last week, while long-term bond yields remained relatively unchanged.

Oil prices decreased to $52.51 per barrel by late Friday, down from the prior week’s price of $54.04. The price of gold (COMEX) fell last week, dropping to $1,344.80 by Friday evening, down slightly from the prior week’s price of $1,345.00. The national average retail regular gasoline price was $2.732 per gallon on June 10, 2019, $0.075 lower than the prior week’s price and $0.179 less than a year ago.

Chart reflects price changes, not total return. Because it does not include dividends or splits, it should not be used to benchmark performance of specific investments.

Last Week’s Economic Headlines

• Overall, prices producers received for goods and services edged up 0.1% in May after increasing 0.2% in April. Prices for services increased 0.3%, largely due to a 10.1% jump in guestroom rentals. Prices for services actually carried the spurt in producer prices, as the prices for goods actually dropped 0.2% in May following three consecutive monthly increases. A majority of the decrease can be traced to a 1.0% drop in energy prices. Within the energy sector, gas prices fell 1.7% in May.
• According to the Consumer Price Index, prices consumers paid for goods and services inched up 0.1% in May — the same rate increase as producer prices. The CPI rose 0.3% in April. Over the last 12 months ended in May, the CPI has risen 1.8%. Prices less food and energy also increased 0.1% in May for the fourth consecutive month. Prices less food and energy have climbed 2.0% since May 2018. Within consumer prices, food prices increased 0.3% and prices for medical care services jumped 0.5%. On the other hand, energy prices fell 0.6% and used car and truck prices dropped 1.4%. Evidencing marginal inflationary pressures, the scant increases in both the Consumer Price Index and the Producer Price Index could influence the Federal Open Market Committee to keep interest rates at their current level following its meeting later this week.
• Sales at the retail level rose 0.5% in May following a 0.3% increase in April. For the year, retail sales have climbed 3.2% since May 2018. Online sales spiked 1.4% in May and are up 11.4% over the last 12 months. Areas experiencing a good sales month include sporting goods, hobby, musical instrument & book stores (1.1%) and electronics & appliance stores (1.1%).
• The federal budget deficit sat at $207.8 billion in May. There was a surplus of $160.3 billion in April (tax month). Fiscal year-to-date, the government is operating at a deficit of $738.6 billion compared to a deficit of $532.2 billion over the same period last fiscal year. Last month, the largest outlays were for Medicare ($98 billion), Social Security ($88 billion), and national defense ($65 billion). On the other side of the ledger, individual income taxes brought in $104 billion, while corporate taxes accounted for $0.4 billion of total government receipts.
• Industrial production rose 0.4% in May after falling 0.4% in April. The indexes for manufacturing and mining gained 0.2% and 0.1%, respectively, in May, while the index for utilities climbed 2.1%. Total industrial production was 2.0% higher in May compared to a year earlier.
• Prices for U.S. imports declined 0.3% in May following an increase of 0.1% the previous month. This is the first monthly decline in import prices since last December. Import fuel prices fell 1.0%, helping to drive the overall import price decline last month. Over the 12 months ended in May, import prices have decreased 1.5%. Export prices fell for the first time since January, dropping 0.2% in May, after advancing 0.1% in April. Export prices decreased 0.7% over the past 12 months ended in May, the largest year-over-year decline since prices dropped 1.1% for the 12-month period ended in October 2016. Agricultural export prices fell 5.3% over the past year, the largest 12-month drop since the index declined 9.1% in April 2016. All of this information references a period just before the United States increased tariffs on $200 billion of Chinese imports. Next month’s figures should reflect the impact, if any, of those tariffs.
• According to the Job Openings and Labor Turnover report, the number of job openings was little changed at 7.4 million on the last day of April. Job openings increased in federal government (+22,000) and educational services (+20,000). Job openings decreased in professional and business services (-172,000). The number of job openings was little changed in all four regions. Over the month, the number of hires edged up to 5.9 million (+240,000 from March). Total separations, which include quits, layoffs, and discharges, increased by 70,000 to 5.6 million in April. Over the 12 months ended in April, hires totaled 69.6 million and separations totaled 66.8 million, yielding a net employment gain of 2.8 million.
• For the week ended June 8, there were 222,000 claims for unemployment insurance, an increase of 3,000 from the previous week’s level, which was revised up by 1,000. According to the Department of Labor, the advance rate for insured unemployment claims remained at 1.2% for the week ended June 1. The advance number of those receiving unemployment insurance benefits during the week ended June 1 was 1,695,000, an increase of 2,000 from the prior week’s level, which was revised up by 11,000.

Eye on the Week Ahead

The Federal Open Market Committee meets this week. Although the stock market has bounced back some, inflation remains stagnant and ongoing economic pressures from the trade war with China are likely to discourage an interest rate hike.

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The Markets (as of market close June 7, 2019)

Markets rebounded nicely last week on hopes that the Federal Reserve Board will cut interest rates in the near future. Early in the week, chairman Jerome Powell said the Fed was closely watching trade developments and signaled rate cuts may be an option if the economic outlook worsens. And on Friday, a weak jobs report supported the possibility of future rate cuts, further encouraging investors. All the indexes tracked here climbed more than 3%, with the large caps of the Dow and S&P 500 surpassing 4% for the week. With the exception of global stocks, all year-to-date returns topped 10%.

Oil prices rose to $54.04 per barrel by late Friday, up from the prior week’s price of $53.33. The price of gold (COMEX) also rose last week, reaching $1,345.00 by Friday evening, up from the prior week’s price of $1,310.30. The national average retail regular gasoline price was $2.807 per gallon on June 3, 2019, $0.015 lower than the prior week’s price and $0.133 less than a year ago.

Chart reflects price changes, not total return. Because it does not include dividends or splits, it should not be used to benchmark performance of specific investments.

Last Week’s Economic Headlines

• The employment report revealed an increase of just 75,000 jobs in May, compared to a monthly average of 164,000 in 2019. Gains were reported in professional and business services and health care. Little change was noted in construction, mining, manufacturing, wholesale trade, retail trade, transportation and warehousing, information, financial activities, leisure and hospitality, and government. Hourly wages increased by $0.06 to $27.83, bringing the average increase in hourly earnings over the past year to 3.1%. The March and April figures were revised downward by a total of 75,000 jobs.
• At 50.5, the IHS Markit U.S. Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index™ (PMI™) reached its lowest level in May since September 2009, as output slowed and new orders dropped for the first time since August 2009. Weak demand and concerns surrounding ongoing trade negotiations caused manufacturers to express their joint-lowest level of confidence since the outlook was first measured in July 2012. The May reading was 2.1 points lower than April. “The data for the second quarter so far have indicated a distinct slowdown in the manufacturing sector compared to the first three months of 2019,” the report said.
• Although the Institute for Supply Management (ISM) Purchasing Managers Index dropped 0.7 percentage point from its April reading to 52.1% in May, the reading indicates that economic activity in the sector continued to expand (a reading above 42.9% over a period of time indicates expansion). New orders, employment, and prices rose, while production, supplier deliveries, and inventories decreased.
• The ISM’s Non-Manufacturing Index came in at 56.9% in May, 1.4% higher than April. Business activity, new orders, and employment all posted gains, while prices decreased. According to the report, survey respondents “…are optimistic about overall business conditions, but concerns remain about tariffs and employment resources.”
• According to the U.S. Census Bureau “Monthly U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services” report, the deficit fell $1.1 billion from March to April, to $50.8 billion. Exports were $206.8 billion, while imports were $257.6 billion. The April deficit reflected a decrease in the goods deficit of $1 billion and an increase in the services deficit of $0.1 billion. Year-to-date, the goods, and services deficit rose $4.1 billion, or 2%, from the same period in April 2018.
• For the week ended June 1, there were 218,000 claims for unemployment insurance, unchanged from the previous week’s revised level. According to the Department of Labor, the advance rate for insured unemployment claims remained at 1.2% for the week ended May 25. The advance number of those receiving unemployment insurance benefits during the week ended May 25 was 1,682,000, an increase of 20,000 from the prior week’s level, which was revised up by 5,000.

Eye on the Week Ahead

Next week, investors and the Federal Reserve Board will get another perspective on how the economy is faring, as inflation numbers are on tap. Other key reports include the federal budget, retail sales, industrial production, and consumer sentiment.