This morning’s release of the publicly available data from ECRI puts its Weekly Leading Index (WLI) at 148.0, down 1.6 from the previous week and its first decline in fourteen weeks. Year-over-year the four-week moving average of the indicator is now at 3.12%, down from 3.32% last week. The WLI Growth indicator is now at…
This morning’s release of the publicly available data from ECRI puts its Weekly Leading Index (WLI) at 148.0, down 1.6 from the previous week and its first decline in fourteen weeks. Year-over-year the four-week moving average of the indicator is now at 3.12%, down from 3.32% last week. The WLI Growth indicator is now at…
One of the most interesting (and surprising) results of 2017 was the magnitude of the strength of the euro against the U.S. dollar. The greater than 14% appreciation that was observed represented the best performance of any of the G10 currencies against the U.S. dollar during that period.1 So, as we enter the end of the first…
This week my Safari portfolio seeks a high yield and growing stock in the Industrials sector. That sector has twenty-three industries all busy designing, fabricating and servicing things we want and use, from aerospace to waste management and all the business services and equipment required in between. I review here an industrial distribution firm. It’s a…
The US economy gained fewer jobs than estimated: only 103K in March 2018. The unemployment rate remained unchanged at 4.1%. However, wages are up 0.3%, better than had been expected. Year over year, salaries are up 2.7%, up from 2.6% but exactly as projected. The US dollar initially dropped on the news but is recovering…
Federal Realty Investment Trust (FRT) has the longest streak of consecutive dividend increases in the entire REIT sector, a group of companies that is known for its dividends. FRT has paid increasing dividends for 50 consecutive years, making it a member of the exclusive Dividend Kings club. You can see the full list of all 25…
Companies in the US hired substantially fewer workers in March than economists expected, according to this morning’s monthly update from the Labor Department. But the sharp deceleration in growth looks like monthly noise, based on the steady moderate pace for the year-over-year increase in private employment. US firms added 102,000 employees last month – below Econoday.com’s consensus…
The U.S. dollar slipped after a report showed the U.S. economy in March created the fewest jobs in six months. The Canadian economy added more jobs than expected last month, driven by hiring in construction and a recovery in full-time positions. Our USD/CAD short is in good shape after the data. This is how MyFXspot.com…
This report highlights last month’s top performers and features a stock from the current portfolio. Recap from February’s Picks Our Dividend Growth Stocks Model Portfolio outperformed the S&P 500 on a price return basis and performed in line on a total return basis last month. The Model Portfolio fell 2.1% on a price return basis…
The civilian labor force in the U.S. expanded by 806,000 in February and 518,000 in January; both monthly expansions were very steep. The civilian labor force participation rate increased by 0.3 percentage points in February, though it was little changed over the year The following chart illustrates that the U.S. labor force participation rate has…
