US • Nominal personal income spiked 10.0% in January as American households received the aid cheques included in the USD$900-billion stimulus package signed at the end of Donald Trump’s presidency. o Income derived from government transfers surged 52.6% to USD$5,734.1 billion (seasonally adjusted at annual rates) on a massive gain in the “other” transfer segment [...]
US The Markit flash composite PMI came in at 58.8 in February (vs. 58.7 the prior month), signalling the broadest improvement in private-sector activity in almost 6 years. The degree of optimism towards future output remained very high, with rollouts of vaccines acting as a confidence booster.The manufacturing sub-index edged down from 59.2 to 58.5, [...]
US The Consumer Price Index increased 0.3% in January, in line with consensus expectations. It had climbed 0.2% each of the two previous months.The energy component sprang 3.5% thanks in part to a 7.4% jump in the gasoline segment.The cost of food rose 0.1% on a 0.3% advance in the “food away from home” category.The [...]
US January nonfarm payrolls rose 49K, less than the +105K print expected by consensus. The negative surprise was compounded by a 159K downward revision to the prior months’ results.The private sector added 6K jobs in January.Goods sector employment edged down 4K as a gain in the mining/logging segment (+9K) was more than offset by small [...]
