The US labor market remains stable; trade deficit increases in February

Trade balance

Weekly jobless claims fall 9,000 to 202,000 Continuing claims add 25,000 to 1.841 million The trade deficit widened by 4.9% to $57.3 billion in February WASHINGTON, April 2 (Reuters) – New claims for U.S. jobless benefits fell sharply last week to a record low, suggesting labor market conditions remained calm in March, even as economists … Read more

US retail sales strong in February; an increase in the price of petrol will affect spending

Column chart titled 'Monthly change in US retail sales'

Retail sales increased by 0.6% in February Basic sales earn 0.5%; a large tax refund guarantees spending Production increases in March, but the supply chain continues to deteriorate WASHINGTON, April 1 (Reuters) – U.S. retail prices rose by the most in seven months in February as car prices rose and temperatures soared, but rising gasoline … Read more

Canada reports moderate economic growth in January

Canada reports moderate economic growth in January

Canada’s economy grew by 0.1% month-on-month in January The preliminary estimate shows growth in February to be around 0.2% Growth in January was led by manufacturing industries Service industries stand out as real estate contractors OTTAWA, March 31 (Reuters) – Canada’s economy grew modestly in January, with monthly output rising slightly as strength in many … Read more

The next test of the stock market: rising war costs

The next test of the stock market: rising war costs

Inflation fears are driving bonds now, financial fears are likely to follow High security costs, chargebacks and the potential impact of shortages Rising inflation and environmental risks pose future threats March 31 (Reuters) – Inflation risks have pushed Treasury yields higher since the US-Iran conflict fueled energy prices. Now another threat to the health of … Read more

The UK economy was in recession until the end of last year before the Iran war

William Schomberg

Item 1 of 5 Shoppers walk along Regent Street in London, Britain, May 15, 2025. REUTERS/Maja Smiejkowska/File Photo [1/5]Shoppers walk along Regent Street in London, Britain, May 15, 2025. REUTERS/Maja Smiejkowska/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rightsopens a new tab UK GDP confirmed at +0.1% in Q4 The Iran war is expected to be a major concern … Read more

China’s factories are experiencing the fastest growth in a year as the risks of war are increasing

Line chart titled 'China factory work'

Item 1 of 2 A worker works on the Nio electric vehicle production line at the JAC-NIO production plant in Hefei, Anhui province, China August 28, 2022. China Daily via REUTERS/File Photo [1/2]A worker works on the Nio electric vehicle production line at the JAC-NIO production plant in Hefei, Anhui province, China August 28, 2022. … Read more