Third Quarter U.S. Growth Turns Positive

 Popular Economics Weekly

BEA.gov

The U.S. economy grew 2.6 percent in the third quarter due to exploding exports, declining imports after two quarters of negative growth from the aftereffects of the pandemic, and record GDP growth in 2021.

‘The increase in exports reflected increases in both goods and services,” said the Bureau of Economic Activity (BEA). “Within exports of goods, the leading contributors to the increase were industrial supplies and materials (notably petroleum and products as well as other nondurable goods), and nonautomotive capital goods. Within exports of services, the increase was led by travel and "other" business services (mainly financial services). Within consumer spending, an increase in services (led by health care and "other" services) was partly offset by a decrease in goods (led by motor vehicles and parts as well as food and beverages).”

Travel and leisure activities jumped because Americans fled their homes after two years of pandemic restrictions. Consumer spending held up and spending on capital goods, a good sign of future growth prospects, increased at a 10.8 percent pace, but investment in structures and new housing sank as soaring mortgage rates choked off home sales.

Housing remains the worm in the apple of future growth, and a reason there are predictions of some level of recession next year, because housing construction and sales feed so many other sectors, such as insurance, banking and other professional services, as well as causing homeowners to feel less wealthy, the so-called wealth effect that can imduce consumers to spend less.

For instance, sales of new single‐family houses in September 2022 were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 603,000. This is 10.9 percent below the revised August rate of 677,000 and is 17.6 percent below the September 2021 estimate of 732,000, said the Census Bureau.

More importantly, the inflation rate has already declined. The price index for gross domestic purchases increased 4.6 percent in the third quarter, compared with an increase of 8.5 percent in the second quarter. The decline mostly stemmed from a sharp drop in gasoline prices, said the BEA.

This is the disinflation we have been speaking of where the rate of inflation is declining, but it’s not outright deflation when overall prices are actually falling, a sign of recession. It is indicative of a soft landing, a desirable outcome the Fed and economists are looking for.

Inflation fell even more for consumers as the Personal Consumption Expenditure (PCE) Index that measures consumer spending increased 4.2 percent, compared with an increase of 7.3 percent in Q2. Excluding food and energy prices, the PCE price index increased 4.5 percent, compared with an increase of 4.7 percent.

Inflation would decline more quickly if not for the tight labor market. Weekly initial jobless claims rose slightly to 220,000 in the week ended October 22, with companies reluctant to lay off workers. The consensus among economists is that corporate record profits are enabling companies to retain workers, despite their higher costs.   

In fact, their record profits may be a sign of profit-taking, companies (like the oil giants) making excessive profits on the rising demand for their products.

It is not yet a given that growth will remain positive in the fourth quarter, or that inflation will continue to decline in the face of product shortages (like oil and food), but I am banking on the holidays to bring out shoppers and keep growth positive for the rest of this year.

Harlan Green © 2022

Follow Harlan Green on Twitter: https://twitter.com/HarlanGreen

Jobs Picture Reduces Recession Worries

 Popular Economics Weekly

Calculated Risk

Weekly initial unemployment claims are holding at the lowest level since 1970, which is a sign of an extremely tight labor market.

In the week ending June 18, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 229,000, a decrease of 2,000 from the previous week's revised level, said the DOL.

It dipped below 200,000 claims once before in 1999 just before the COVID-19 pandemic, per Calculated Risk’s graph.

How is this a sign of an impending recession? Companies are holding on to their workers for dear life, with one of the lowest unemployment rates in history at 3.8 percent. The unemployment rate was only lower in 1950, dipping to 2.5 percent during the record recovery from World War II, per the FRED graph below.

FREDunemploymentrate

In fact, the latest JOLTS report showed there were still 11.4 million job vacancies over the past two months. Most headlines touted that the 11.4 million job openings in May as a “severe” drop from 11.9 million vacancies in April, But that wasn’t a sign of weakness. The 11.9 million April number was revised from the original estimate of 11.4 million, which really meant that April to May job vacancies were in essence unchanged showing openings and new hires (6.6 million) were still at record levels, as I said in an earlier post.

This is while consumers’ personal consumption expenditures have risen 6 percent in a year. Consumer spending that makes up some two-thirds of economic activity has skyrocketed since the pandemic; after just 2 percent average annual growth rates since the Great Recession.

The question pending is whether rising interest rates will slow consumers spending sufficiently to reduce inflation, averting reoccurrence of a 1970’s-style stagflation?

The Fed's June Open Market Committee press release was optimistic about the prospects for continued growth.

“Overall economic activity appears to have picked up after edging down in the first quarter. Job gains have been robust in recent months, and the unemployment rate has remained low. (But) Inflation remains elevated, reflecting supply and demand imbalances related to the pandemic, higher energy prices, and broader price pressures.”

We must now wait to see what the Fed’s push to raise interest rates will do to future growth.

Harlan Green © 2022

Follow Harlan Green on Twitter: https://twitter.com/HarlanGreen

Unemployment Report Misleading

Financial FAQs

Today’s lower than predicted payroll creation of 173,000 jobs doesn’t change my prediction of higher jobs growth ahead. My prediction yesterday was for 250,000 payroll jobs in August, but downward seasonal adjustments reduced payrolls by -800,000. In other words 800,000 jobs were stricken from the unadjusted numbers, because it’s the end of summer and lots of summer jobs normally disappear with the back-to-schoolers this month (but -800,000?..I don’t think so.).

In fact, -293,000 construction jobs were subtracted in the seasonal adjustment, because fewer jobs were added in past years. Yet real estate construction is booming in both residential and non-residential sectors this year, so instead of -10,000 fewer seasonally adjusted construction jobs in the report, later adjustments could add some of the -293,000 jobs back.

And confirming this are past months’ revisions. The pace of hiring in July and June was stronger than initially reported, according to a survey of business establishments (i.e., the payroll survey). The Labor Department said 245,000 new jobs were created in July instead of 215,000. June’s gain was revised up to 245,000 from 231,000 for a total of 44,000 jobs added back from the seasonal adjustment figure.

Graph: Marketwatch

The good news was that governments mostly at the local level added 33,000 payroll jobs, and wages are rising. The nation’s unemployment rate fell to 5.1 percent from 5.3 percent, marking the lowest level since April 2008 just as the Great Recession was beginning.

The jobless rate is determined by a separate survey of households that showed a sharp 237,000 drop in the number of people who said they were unemployed. Only a smattering of people dropped out of the labor force.

The improvement in the labor market also appears to be forcing more companies to increase pay to attract or maintain workers. The average hourly wage paid to American workers rose 8 cents, or 0.3 percent, in August to $25.09 an hour. From August 2014 to August 2015 hourly wages rose 2.2 percent, matching the best gain of the past four years.

Harlan Green © 2015

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Fannie Says Better Growth For Rest of 2015

Popular Economics Weekly

“Economic activity was suppressed in the first quarter due largely to the West Coast port disruptions and difficult weather patterns across the Northeast, but the economy is expected to gain momentum throughout the spring and reach previously anticipated levels by year-end,” said a just released Fannie Mae’s Economic & Strategic Research Group report.

Is this a repeat of 2014, when growth surged for the rest of the year? It is what happened in 2014, due to last year’s deep freeze. In fact, it should be a repeat, as consumers aren’t spending much in Q1, the weather is as bad—whether blizzard, flood, or drought in the west—and Congress may be as gridlocked in ideological warfare as ever, and is therefore unable to do more harm to growth that it has in the past.

Graph: Trading Economics

We started out 2014 with a negative GDP growth rate of minus -2.1 percent. But it jumped to 4.6 and 5 percent in Q2 and Q3, such was the pent up demand from those very good jobs numbers. Just in the last 12 months 3.1 million jobs have been created, and consumers are in an almost ebullient mood. But consumers have to stop saving so much of their increased earnings, if that is to happen.

Fannie believes there’s also another ingredient to boost growth. An improved housing market as incomes improve and interest rates stay near record lows. “Our forecast calls for an increase in economic growth to 2.9 percent for 2015, which is a slight downward adjustment from our prior forecast but solid improvement nonetheless,” said Fannie Mae Chief Economist Doug Duncan

.

Graph: Econoday

Stronger retail sales gave an indication of the future. Sales of goods and services in March rebounded 0.9 percent after dropping 0.5 percent in February. The market consensus for March was for a 1.1 percent boost. Excluding autos, sales gained 0.4 percent, following no change in February. Expectations were for a 0.6 percent increase. Gasoline sales dipped 0.6 percent after a 2.3 percent increase in February. Excluding both autos and gasoline, sales rebounded 0.5 percent after declining 0.3 percent in February.

 

Graph: Econoday

However, the Conference Board’s Index of Leading Indicators is not so optimistic about future growth. Its 12 components predicted slower growth over the next 6 months. “In the negative column are building permits which, Thursday's disappointing housing starts report, fell sharply,” said Econoday.” This is a reminder that housing, despite some hopeful signs, has yet to boost economic growth. And declines in the factory workweek and for factory orders are reminders that the manufacturing sector, due in part to weak exports (and strong dollar), may now be pulling down economic growth.”

Let’s hope Fannie Mae is right. “Although we are beginning this year at a more modest pace compared to the above-trend numbers seen at mid-year 2014,” says the report, “the country’s aggregate income has benefitted from the improving labor market, which, combined with low gasoline prices, should help drive higher auto sales and overall consumer spending throughout 2015.”

So it may just be the gloom of winter’s cold that has been holding back economic growth in Q1, especially housing, and that more buyers will enter the housing market this selling season.

Harlan Green © 2015

Follow Harlan Green on Twitter: https://twitter.com/HarlanGreen

Pending Sales Up, Mortgage Delinquencies Down

The Mortgage Corner

U.S. home buyers signed more contracts to buy existing homes in July, rebounding from a drop in June. This is in line with declining delinquency and foreclosure rates that portend a healthy real estate market for the rest of this year, and maybe into next year, if interest rates hold at their current lows. Today’s 30-year fixed conforming rate has fallen to 3.75 percent for 1 origination point in California.

The National Association of Realtors' monthly Pending Home Sales index rose 3.3 percent in July over June but is still 2.1 percent below its level in July 2013. It’s rising again because both consumer confidence measures have been rising of late, buoyed by rising incomes and low inflation.

Graph: Econoday

"Interest rates are lower than they were a year ago, price growth continues to moderate and total housing inventory is at its highest level since August 2012," said Lawrence Yun, NAR's chief economist. "The increase in the number of new and existing homes for sale is creating less competition and is giving prospective buyers more time to review their options before submitting an offer."

Graph: Calculated Risk

And consumer sentiment is up in the final August reading, to 82.5 vs 79.2 at mid-month, along with the Conference Board’s Confidence index, the second reading of consumer optimism that is rising this week. The gain is centered in current conditions as it was in Tuesday's consumer confidence report, and underscores the improvement this month in unemployment claims, which once again fell below 300,000 for the second consecutive week. The current conditions component in this report is at 99.8 vs 99.6 at mid-month and 97.4 in final July. A rise in current conditions points to general month-to-month strength for consumer activity.

Graph: Calculated Risk

Lastly, home prices continue to rise and delinquencies to fall. A total of ​​3,785,000 loans were delinquent or in foreclosure in July. This is down from 4,599,000 in July 2013. Calculated Risk reports Black Knight Financial Services (BKFS) released their Mortgage Monitor report for July today. According to BKFS, 5.64 percent of mortgages were delinquent in July, down from 5.70 percent in June. More importantly BKFS reports that 1.85 percent of mortgages were in the foreclosure process, down from 2.82 percent in July 2013.

Both delinquencies and foreclosures are finally approaching historical levels, which means that housing sales—including new-home sales will do the same. The rate of monthly new problem loans has now fallen to 2005-06 levels, reports BKFS. Many foreclosure sales were held up by lengthy court proceedings in many of the eastern and Midwestern state that did judicial sales, rather than the western states with Trust Deed liens that could be auctioned off on courthouse steps.

Harlan Green © 2014

Follow Harlan Green on Twitter: https://twitter.com/HarlanGreen

Consumers Back on Track?

Financial FAQs

The one sector of the economy that can revive growth—consumers—look to finally believe the Great Recession is over. Consumer sentiment unexpectedly rose to its highest in five years in October as consumers became more optimistic about the economy in a possible boost to President Obama's reelection hopes, said Thomson Reuters Inside Debt Blog.

Graph: Inside Debt

The Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan's preliminary October reading on the overall index on consumer sentiment came in at 83.1, up from 78.3 the month before, and the highest since September 2007, the survey showed.

There are several reasons for their revival—the first being the drop to a 7.8 percent unemployment rate, with both hours worked and salaries rising. Consumers felt better about the economy in both the long and the short term, the compilers of the Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan survey said. The survey's gauge of consumer expectations jumped to 79.5 from 73.5, well above an expected reading of 74. The survey's barometer of current economic conditions rose to 88.6 from 85.7 and was above a forecast of 86.

Graph: Econoday

Weekly initial jobless claims also plunged, a sign that employment should continue to improve. Claims fell to 339,000 in the October 6 week for a 30,000 decline that's the biggest since July. The 339,000 level is the best reading of the recovery, said Econoday. The four-week average is down 11,500 to 364,000 and is now trending more than 10,000 below the month-ago comparison in what points to improvement for both payroll growth and the unemployment rate.

Graph: Econoday

Lastly, September’s unemployment report showed rising incomes. Average hourly earnings growth improved to 0.3 percent in September, following no change in August.  Analysts forecast a 0.2 percent rise.  The average workweek nudged up to 34.5 hours in September from 34.4 hours in August.  Expectations were for 34.4 hours.

And, the latest payroll data includes semi-annual benchmark revisions, as we have said. According to more complete data, payrolls were reportedly undercounted by 386,000 over the April 2011 through March 2012 period, resulting in an average 32,000 higher gain per month than earlier estimated.

So we know why consumers are feeling more confident about their future prospects, a merrier holiday season, and an improving economy. They power 70 percent of all domestic (GDP) activity.

Harlan Green © 2012

Increased Consumer Spending a Good Sign

Financial FAQs

The most recent retail sales show consumers are able to spend more, even as they borrow more. Add to that credit card delinquencies are at an 18-year low, according to credit reporting company Transunion Corp., and we have a picture of an improving economy. This is, the fact that consumers can continue to cure their debt problems, while spending more, is a good sign.

"The national credit card delinquency rate continues to remain at the lowest levels we've observed in 18 years," said Ezra Becker, vice president of research and consulting in TransUnion's financial services business unit. "It's a positive situation because average borrower balances have increased over the past year as new card originations have grown."

Graph: Econoday

Retail sales soared in July. Total sales rose 0.8 percent for the strongest rise since February with ex-auto sales also up 0.8 percent for, again, the best showing since February. All components show gains including motor vehicles, general merchandise, health & personal care, furniture, and restaurants. Clothing also shows a significant gain, one that points to strength for the back-to-school season. Ex-auto ex-gas the gain is 0.9 percent for the best showing since January, said Econoday.

This was predicted by the surge in consumer borrowing. Total credit outstanding rose $6.5 billion in June, following a $16.7 billion jump the month before, reported the Federal Reserve. The latest gain was led by non-revolving credit, gaining $10.2 billion in June after a $9.2 billion rise in May. Non-revolving credit is mostly for motor vehicle purchases and student loans.

 

Graph: Econoday

What is behind greater consumer spending is the consumer feels better about the economy despite the recent run up in gasoline prices. Apparently it is due to a somewhat improved jobs picture with 163,000 net payroll jobs created in July. Strength was in the consumer's assessment of current conditions which was up solidly at 87.6 versus July's 82.7. This gain also underscores the improvement seen in weekly jobless claims, which are now down in the 350,000 range from more than 400,000 last year.

Graph: Econoday

So there are signs that the recovery may be gaining a little more strength—emphasis on little, however.  The Conference Board’s July index of leading economic indicators rebounded 0.4 percent, offsetting the June decline of 0.4 percent. It is at its highest level since February 2007, which should boost consumer confidence even higher.

Graph: Econoday

The improvement in jobless claims, which points to improvement in underlying job growth, together with improvement in building permits led the increase in the overall index with each component having a contribution of 0.18 percentage points.

Also with positive contributions were the report's credit reading, the stock market, and the report's imputed readings for new orders on both consumer and capital goods which are government data that have yet to be released, said Econoday.

So July was a good month for consumers, and points to further economic improvement for holiday retail sales, which should drive economic growth for the rest of the year. So consumers seem to be focusing more on improving their own financial condition, rather than the discouraging news about China, Europe, and a deadlocked Congress.

Harlan Green © 2012

2012 Will Be Better

Popular Economics Weekly

The elements seem to be in place for a better 2012 economy, despite the euro worries, budget deficits, and 8.6 percent jobless rate. Why?  Banks are lending again, and it was the tight bank credit after bursting of the housing bubble that basically stopped businesses from growing.  Banks stopped lending because of their losses from the Great Recession, which finally ended in June 2009.

After three years of Scrooge-like underwriting following 2008's financial crisis, banks have turned on the spigot, boosting lending at annual rates as high as 8.2 percent since July, according to Federal Reserve statistics.

Lending had fallen from mid-2008 through this year's second quarter, deepening what became the worst recession since the Great Depression. The data seem to allay fears that making banks keep more capital on their books as a cushion against future downturns and loan losses will take away the cash flow businesses need to keep the recovery moving.

Even small businesses have seen a difference, says Bill Dunkelberg, chief economist of the National Federation of Independent Business. In a monthly NFIB survey, only 3 percent of small-business owners say lack of credit is their most important problem, trailing taxes, regulation and still-sluggish demand, and small business accounts.

Then the Conference Board’s Index of Leading Economic Indicators continues to show 3 percent plus GDP growth for the next 6 months.

Graph: Wrightson ICAP

The LEI is a weighted gauge of 10 indicators designed to signal business cycle peaks and troughs. Among the 10 indicators that make up the LEI, seven made positive contributions in November. The index rose a very solid 0.5 percent following October's 0.9 percent surge. The leading positive is the rate spread which reflects the Federal Reserve's zero interest rate policy, said its press release. The second positive is building permits which appear to be building steam in what is very good news for the construction sector.

Consumer expectations are also a big positive in the month and judging from this month’s consumer sentiment report look to be a big positive for December. Another positive that's likely to extend through this month is the November improvement in jobless claims which gave the fifth strongest contribution to the month's 0.5 percent gain.

The sharp decline in weekly initial unemployment insurance jobless claims means fewer workers are being fired. Layoffs are on a steady decline in what is good news for the jobs market and for the December employment report. Initial claims fell for a third week in a row, down 4,000 to a much lower-than-expected level of 364,000 (prior week revised to 368,000 for a 17,000 decline). The four-week average is also down for a third week in a row and down for six of the last seven, declining 8,000 to 380,250 which is the lowest level of the recovery.

Graph: Econoday

Both the University of Michigan and Conference Board sentiment surveys continue to improve. The U. of Michigan reading implies a very strong 72.1 over the last two weeks which points to momentum for January. The bulk of the gain is centered in expectations, at 63.6 in December for a more than eight point monthly gain that points further to momentum in the New Year. The assessment of current conditions, likely held down by bad news out of Europe, rose only two points in the month to 79.6.

Graph: Inside Debt

The New York-based Conference Board said that its December Consumer Confidence Index rose almost 10 points to 64.5, up from 55.2 in November. The surge builds on another big increase in November, when the index rose almost 15 points from the month before.

One likely positive for sentiment is improvement in the jobs market as well as the stock market which has been on the recovery, said Econoday. Another positive may be gasoline prices which, despite $100 oil, are on the decline. One-year inflation expectations eased one tenth in the month to 3.1 percent with five-year expectations unchanged at 2.7 percent.

Small businesses are important because they account for 70 percent of new jobs. Though slack demand is still making entrepreneurs wary of borrowing, says NFIB chief economist William Dunkelberg: Only 12 percent think business will be better in 12 months than it is now. “Two-thirds of business owners say, “Who wants a loan?” says Dunkelberg, who is chairman of a small Pennsylvania bank. “In thirty years, I’ve never seen anything like it. The banks all have money to lend, but there’s a shortage of eligible customers coming in.”

Small businesses are the key, so we know the recovery will become sustainable if they can continue to borrow. Increased bank lending is a sign of increased demand for products and services in 2012, a good sign for all businesses.

Harlan Green © 2011