September unemployment rate falls to 3.5%, a 50-year low, as payrolls rise by 136,000
Unemployment hit a fresh 50-year low in September even though nonfarm payrolls rose by just 136,000 as the economy nears full employment, the Labor Department reported Friday.
U.S. 2019 holiday sales to rise as much as 4.2% – NRF
U.S. holiday sales are expected to rise between 3.8% and 4.2% in 2019, higher than last year, the National Retail Federation said on Thursday, even as the retail group signaled uncertainty fueled by the prolonged U.S.-China trade war.
Third quarter could mark turning point in U.S. profit cycle
As investors prepare for U.S. corporations to report financial results next month, they could look past recent sluggish growth and find comfort as earnings look set to rebound after the third quarter.
Lagarde Says Global Recession Unlikely But Trade a Key Risk
“It is not in the baseline to have a recession,” Lagarde said in a Bloomberg Television interview on Tuesday. “That said, it’s mediocre growth, it’s at risk because of essentially one major threat, which is the trade war that we see developing or brewing and the uncertainty it generates for investors.”
US new home sales increase more than expected in August
Sales of new U.S. single-family homes rebounded more than expected in August, the latest sign that the struggling housing market was starting to get a lift from lower mortgage rates.
US manufacturing sector activity hits 5-month high in September, IHS Markit says
The U.S. manufacturing sector recovered in September with activity growth hitting a five-month high, according to IHS Markit.
US existing home sales rise to 17-month high in August
U.S. home sales unexpectedly rose to a 17-month high in August for a second straight month of gains, the latest sign that lower mortgage rates are encouraging buyers off the sidelines.
U.S. housing starts, building permits race to 12-year high
U.S. homebuilding surged to more than a 12-year high in August as both single- and multi-family housing construction accelerated, suggesting that lower mortgage rates were finally providing a boost to the struggling housing market.
Homebuilder sentiment surges to highest level of the year, but there are warning signs
Confidence among the nation’s homebuilders rose 1 point to 68 in September in the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index – well above expectations and the highest level of the year.
US manufacturing production rebounds strongly in August
U.S. manufacturing output increased more than expected in August, boosted by a surge in machinery and primary metals production, but the outlook for factories remains weak against the backdrop of trade tensions and slowing global economies.