Economists Warn of Danger Ahead for the US Economy in 2024
Video Credit: Wibbitz Top Stories - Duration: 01:31s - Published
Economists Warn of Danger Ahead for the US Economy in 2024
Economists Warn , of Danger Ahead for the , US Economy in 2024.
According to Wells Fargo economists, the possibility of a future recession has not been ruled out for the United States economy.
.
'Newsweek' reports that the gloomy reminder comes
despite better-than-expected growth in 2023 and
trends that show consumer spending is still healthy.
Last week, the Commerce Department
said the economy had accelerated above
forecast to end 2023, with a 3.3% rate.
.
In December, according to the Commerce
Department, consumer spending shot up,
a key sign of a healthy economy.
Despite this, Wells Fargo has pointed to
the impact of the Federal Reserve's attempts
to fight inflation on certain sectors of the U.S. economy.
Despite this, Wells Fargo has pointed to
the impact of the Federal Reserve's attempts
to fight inflation on certain sectors of the U.S. economy.
The economists cited dropping manufacturing-sector
sentiment in the Mid-Atlantic Region and slowing
business activity as major areas of concern.
.
The economists cited dropping manufacturing-sector
sentiment in the Mid-Atlantic Region and slowing
business activity as major areas of concern.
.
Monetary policy is still
pretty restrictive at this point.
We do think that that will put
some sort of headwinds on
consumer spending growth, Jay Bryson, Chief economist at Wells Fargo, via 'Newsweek'.
According to Jay Bryson, Wells Fargo's chief economist,
the first quarter of 2024 may see continued growth,
but the impact of high interest rates is likely
to cool the economy later in the year.
According to Jay Bryson, Wells Fargo's chief economist,
the first quarter of 2024 may see continued growth,
but the impact of high interest rates is likely
to cool the economy later in the year.
In the fourth quarter,
business fixed investment
spending grew but it was at
a very, very subdued rate...
of somewhere between
one or two percent, Jay Bryson, Chief economist at Wells Fargo, via 'Newsweek'.
In general, those things
will cause growth to
ratchet down a little bit, Jay Bryson, Chief economist at Wells Fargo, via 'Newsweek'
Key Federal Reserve Inflation Gauge , Rose 2.8% in March.
According to Commerce Department
data released on April 26.
the personal consumption expenditures
(PCE) price index, not including food or energy, rose 2.8% year-over-year in March. .
That exceeded Dow Jones
estimates of 2.7%, CNBC reports. .
When also accounting for food and energy, the all-items PCE measure rose 2.7%,
which was above the 2.6% estimate.
Inflation reports released this morning
were not as a hot as feared, , George Mateyo, chief investment officer at Key Wealth, via CNBC.
... but investors should not get
overly anchored to the idea that
inflation has been completely
cured and the Fed will be cutting
interest rates in the near-term, George Mateyo, chief investment officer at Key Wealth, via CNBC.
The prospects of rate cuts remain,
but they are not assured, and the
Fed will likely need weakness in
the labor market before they
have the confidence to cut, George Mateyo, chief investment officer at Key Wealth, via CNBC.
Consumers continue to spend despite
higher prices, CNBC reports.
Personal spending increased 0.8% in March, while personal income rose 0.5%.
The personal saving rate dropped to 3.2% as more people are having to dip into their savings to cover the cost of living.
The Fed continues to target 2% inflation, which the core PCE has exceeded for
the last three years, CNBC reports.
Credit: Wibbitz Top Stories Duration: 01:30Published
March Retail Sales , Exceeded Expectations.
New Commerce Department data surprised
some analysts on April 15, 'The Hill' reports. .
The agency's latest estimates indicate
that March retail sales increased by 0.7%.
They were only expected
to rise 0.3% last month.
While sales exceeded estimates for March, the jump
was still below the 0.9% increase in February.
Compared to the same time last year, total sales
for the first three months of 2024 were up 2.1%.
On April 10, the Labor Department released data showing that inflation rose last month. .
The consumer price index (CPI)
increased 0.4% in March and 3.5% annually.
In February, consumer prices
increased 3.2% year-over-year. .
Still, the newest Commerce Department data suggests that Americans continue to spend despite prolonged inflation, 'The Hill' reports.
Credit: Wibbitz Top Stories Duration: 01:30Published
Stock Markets Rally , Amid Investor Hopes for , Interest Rate Cuts in 2024.
On the morning of May 15, both the S&P and the
Nasdaq hit all-time highs after new data suggested
inflation may be easing in line with expectations.
Quartz reports that the Dow Jones Industrial Average
is also inching toward the record-breaking
40,000 mark, which it almost hit in March. .
According to the latest Bureau of Labor
Statistics data, April saw the Consumer Price
Index, a key gauge of inflation, rise by 3.4%.
At the same time, consumer prices
increased by 0.3%, slowing slightly
from March's 0.4% increase.
The latest data also shows that core prices,
which don't include food and energy, saw the lowest
increase since April of 2021, rising just 3.6%. .
As a result, investors have a sense of
renewed hope that the Federal Reserve will
begin to cut interest rates at some point in 2024.
The latest inflation data was released one day
after the Producer Price Index, which
measures wholesale inflation, increased 0.5%. .
Over the past year, the
index has increased 2.2%.
Shortly after markets opened, the Dow
jumped up 147 points, hitting 39,705, while the
S&P 500 and the Nasdaq saw 0.5% increases.
Shares in GameStop were down 30% after
experiencing a boost earlier this week by
the online return of investor "Roaring Kitten."
Credit: Wibbitz Top Stories Duration: 01:30Published
Consumer Outlook , Plunges Amid Fears of , More Price Hikes Ahead.
CNN reports that sentiment about the economy among
consumers in the United States has plummeted
to the lowest level in the past six months.
According to the latest consumer survey by the
University of Michigan, consumers are also bracing
for more price increases in the year ahead. .
The consumer expectations gauge,
which is closely monitored by the White House,
dropped 13%, representing the most significant
single month decline since mid-2021.
The latest news is still better than
last May when inflation was at 4%
compared to the current 3.5% reading.
However, CNN points out that despite inflation
being lower than the same time last year, the numbers
have been moving in the wrong direction.
The trajectory has shifted
economist expectations for
the Federal Reserve to cut rates. .
The latest Fed report saw expectations
for year-ahead inflation increase
to 3.5% from the 3.2% forecast in April. .
At the same time, long-run
expectations for inflation also
increased to 3.1% from April's 3.0%. .
According to Chicago Federal Reserve
President Austan Goolsbee, the latest data , "bodes awful for progress on inflation.".
There isnβt, at this time,
much evidence in my view that
inflation is stalling out at 3%, Austan Goolsbee, Chicago Federal Reserve President, via CNN
Credit: Wibbitz Top Stories Duration: 01:31Published
Fears of Potential Iranian Attack , Drive US Stocks Down , Nearly 500 Points.
CNN reports that United States stocks dropped on
April 12 amid rising tensions in the Middle East pushing
traders to seek safe havens like gold and bonds.
CNN reports that United States stocks dropped on
April 12 amid rising tensions in the Middle East pushing
traders to seek safe havens like gold and bonds.
By mid-afternoon, the Dow had fallen
1.4%, the S&P 500 went down 1.6%,
and the Nasdaq dropped 1.8%.
The dip came after the White House announced
that both the U.S. and Israel are on alert for
a potential attack by Iran or its allies.
The dip came after the White House announced
that both the U.S. and Israel are on alert for
a potential attack by Iran or its allies.
The warning comes after Iran
accused Israel of a deadly airstrike
on a consulate in Damascus, Syria. .
The news also sent oil prices up amid
fears of regional tensions escalating
as a result of the ongoing war in Gaza. .
The news also sent oil prices up amid
fears of regional tensions escalating
as a result of the ongoing war in Gaza. .
Brent crude futures jumped up to $90.42
a barrel, and West Texas Intermediate crude
futures increased to $86.65 a barrel.
Those geopolitical concerns and subsequent
rising oil prices sent investors to safe havens like
gold futures, which rose to $2,379 a troy ounce.
Those geopolitical concerns and subsequent
rising oil prices sent investors to safe havens like
gold futures, which rose to $2,379 a troy ounce.
CNN reports that Americans' opinions of
the economy have dipped in the past few
months amid persistently high inflation.
The geopolitical fears come as investors are already
contending with concerns that the Federal Reserve could
wait to bring interest rates down from a 23-year high.
Officials at the Fed have signaled that further rate
hikes could still be on the way if the central
bank's efforts to fight inflation stall.
Credit: Wibbitz Top Stories Duration: 01:31Published
Federal Reserve Posts Massive, $114 Billion , Loss in 2023.
On March 26, the Federal Reserve
announced a record-breaking net
negative income of $114.3 billion in 2023.
Reuters reports that the loss follows
$58.8 billion in net income in 2022. .
Since releasing the numbers,
the Fed has stressed that negative net
income does not impede its ability to operate.
Since releasing the numbers,
the Fed has stressed that negative net
income does not impede its ability to operate.
As a result of low rates and large
levels of bond holdings, the Fed has
earned significant profits in recent years.
Last year, the Fed's audited interest expenses for
banks' reserve balances reached $176.8 billion,
an increase of over $116 billion from 2022.
In 2023, the Fed's interest payouts from
its reverse repo facility were $104.33 billion,
increased from $41.9 billion the year before.
Reuters reports that the Fed creates funds when
dealing with operating losses, capturing its loss
in an accounting device known as a deferred asset.
Reuters reports that the Fed creates funds when
dealing with operating losses, capturing its loss
in an accounting device known as a deferred asset.
At the close of 2023, the deferred
asset stood at $133.3 billion.
As of March 20 of this year, that number
had risen to $157.8 billion with no
indication of how much larger it could get.
Last year, a St. Louis Fed report forecast that it
could take years before the Fed can return to
profitability and reduce the country's deferred asset.
Last year, a St. Louis Fed report forecast that it
could take years before the Fed can return to
profitability and reduce the country's deferred asset
Credit: Wibbitz Top Stories Duration: 01:30Published
Retail Sales Top Predictions, , Ending 2023 Strong.
Yahoo Finance reports that December's retail sales showed
consumer spending in the United States continues to be
resilient, quelling fears of..
Credit: Wibbitz Top Stories Duration: 01:30Published
![Key Federal Reserve Inflation Gauge Rose 2.8% in March [Video]](https://video.newsserve.net/300/v/20240426/1373828506-Key-Federal-Reserve-Inflation-Gauge-Rose.jpg)
![March Retail Sales Exceeded Expectations [Video]](https://video.newsserve.net/300/v/20240416/1372826444-March-Retail-Sales-Exceeded-Expectations.jpg)
![Stock Markets Rally Amid Investor Hopes for Interest Rate Cuts in 2024 [Video]](https://video.newsserve.net/300/v/20240515/1375566508-Stock-Markets-Rally-Amid-Investor-Hopes-for-Interest.jpg)
![Consumer Outlook Plunges Amid Fears of More Price Hikes Ahead [Video]](https://video.newsserve.net/300/v/20240513/1375388796-Consumer-Outlook-Plunges-Amid-Fears-of-More-Price.jpg)
![Fears of Potential Iranian Attack Drive US Stocks Down Nearly 500 Points [Video]](https://video.newsserve.net/300/v/20240412/1372522960-Fears-of-Potential-Iranian-Attack-Drive-US-Stocks.jpg)
![Federal Reserve Posts Massive $114 Billion Loss in 2023 [Video]](https://video.newsserve.net/300/v/20240327/1371091068-Federal-Reserve-Posts-Massive-114-Billion-Loss-in.jpg)
![Retail Sales Top Predictions, Ending 2023 Strong [Video]](https://video.newsserve.net/300/v/20240117/1363828555-Retail-Sales-Top-Predictions-Ending-2023-Strong.jpg)
