- Jobless claims likely will drop this week, but the sudden spike week is a warning sign of trouble ahead.
- Consumers’ confidence likely has peaked, but changes to the Michigan survey will overstate any softening.
- The new method likely will lift the survey's five-to-10-year inflation expectations measure, slightly.
Ian Shepherdson (Chief Economist, Chairman and Founder)US
- We see a sharp downturn in payrolls soon, despite the rock-bottom level of initial jobless claims.
- Claims tend to lead payrolls during an upturn, but deteriorate alongside payrolls during a downturn.
- Revisions to payrolls are uncorrelated with the initial response rate; April's weak initial print will survive.
Ian Shepherdson (Chief Economist, Chairman and Founder)US
- CPI health insurance prices are set to slow sharply from April, thanks to methodological changes.
- Prices should flatline from April to September, but the 1½% trend in the PCE measure will continue.
- MBS data on mortgage applications likely nudged up last week, but from a very low base.
Ian Shepherdson (Chief Economist, Chairman and Founder)US
- Banks are continuing to tighten credit availability for business and consumers.
- The real cost of bank loans to small businesses is approaching 8%; no wonder they are cutting costs.
- The lag between banks' willingness to extend consumer credit and lending flows is long; a slowdown lies ahead.
Ian Shepherdson (Chief Economist, Chairman and Founder)US
- Both the Homebase data and the NFIB survey signal slower job growth in April, but the numbers are noisy.
- One softer print would not trigger a Fed response, but it would make the May number critical for markets.
- The ISM services survey likely will provide further reassurance on the underlying inflation outlook.
Ian Shepherdson (Chief Economist, Chairman and Founder)US
- Chair Powell batted away talk of a further rate hike, and hinted that labor market fears are emerging.
- Everything will change if payroll growth slows sharply; that won't happen overnight, but it is coming.
- Still no signs of a real manufacturing recovery, and inflation risks from the sector are minimal.
Ian Shepherdson (Chief Economist, Chairman and Founder)US
- The FOMC will likely take a hard line on easing today, despite abundant warnings of a weaker labor market.
- The disappointing Q1 ECI is not definitive; leading indicators signal downward pressure on wage growth.
- Ignore the ADP and JOLTS job openings today; the JOLTS quits rate matters far more.
Ian Shepherdson (Chief Economist, Chairman and Founder)US
- Year-over-year growth in the ECI likely fell below 4% in Q1, almost back to its inflation target-consistent rate.
- California fast food price rises driven by the minimum wage hike will have a microscopic impact on the CPI.
- Ignore the 3.9% Q2 growth forecast from GDPNow; its estimates are often way off this early in the quarter.
Ian Shepherdson (Chief Economist, Chairman and Founder)US
- The Q1 data suggest upside risk to our 0.28% March core PCE forecast, but 0.3% rounded still looks likely.
- Q1 GDP growth was better beneath the hood; the headline was hit by a big foreign trade drag...
- ...But expect drags in Q2 from inventories and residential investment, as well as slowing consumption growth.
Ian Shepherdson (Chief Economist, Chairman and Founder)US
- Durable orders were stronger than we expected in March, but they still fell in Q1 as a whole.
- GDP likely rose by 2.6% in Q1; this week's data have triggered only marginal changes in our forecast.
- Time lags and generous seasonals mean today's initial claims data likely will be little changed, again.
Ian Shepherdson (Chief Economist, Chairman and Founder)US
- S&P's employment index has inaccurately pointed to sharp slowdowns in growth in payrolls before...
- ...but its grim message should be taken seriously now, given that it is echoed by the NFIB survey.
- Easter effects point to a downside surprise in durable goods orders ex-transportation.
Ian Shepherdson (Chief Economist, Chairman and Founder)US
- S&P's PMI is too unreliable a guide to GDP to be useful, but its soft inflation signal should be taken seriously.
- Annual retail sales revisions could have significant implications for consumption growth in Q1.
- New home sales probably rose in March, capping a strong quarter for residential investment.
Ian Shepherdson (Chief Economist, Chairman and Founder)US
- We think GDP rose at a 2.6% quarter-on-quarter pace in Q1, powered primarily by consumers’ spending.
- Data released before the GDP estimate next Thursday, however, could shift our forecast materially.
- Home sales likely still have further to fall in Q2, despite their big drop in March.
Ian Shepherdson (Chief Economist, Chairman and Founder)US
- Ignore the fall in the LEI in March—Q1 GDP growth will be brisk—but it should become a better guide soon.
- Look out for an above-consensus rise in jobless claims today as Easter distortions unwind; the trend is rising.
- February’s surge in existing home sales looks like an anomaly; expect a plunge in March.
Ian Shepherdson (Chief Economist, Chairman and Founder)US
- Chair Powell signals that the Fed requires much more data to start easing soon; June odds down again.
- The widening spread between part-time and full-time job growth is an alarming signal for payrolls.
- The early Easter hit March housing starts but, in any event, a sustained recovery is some way off.
Ian Shepherdson (Chief Economist, Chairman and Founder)US
- Homebase data point to a mere 120K rise in private payrolls in April, but the range of possible prints is wide.
- Strong March retail sales and upward revisions mean Q1 consumption likely rose by more than 3%.
- The early Easter likely depressed housing starts in March, offsetting support from further mild weather.
Ian Shepherdson (Chief Economist, Chairman and Founder)US
- March CPI and PPI data point to a 0.3% rise in the core PCE deflator, with an outside chance of a 0.2% print.
- Personal tax refunds so far in 2024 are little changed compared to last year, but that could still change.
- Higher gas prices probably mean a small fall in the Michigan sentiment survey from its recent highs.
Ian Shepherdson (Chief Economist, Chairman and Founder)US
- Almost half of the rise in March core CPI services ex-rent prices was due to a wild jump in auto insurance.
- We’re raising our near-term forecasts for rents and hospital services prices, but retaining our optimistic outlook.
- Core PPI inflation should be depressed by falling margins, driven by slowing growth in core retail sales.
Ian Shepherdson (Chief Economist, Chairman and Founder)US
- The balance of risks points to a decent chance of a 0.2% core CPI print for March, a tenth below consensus.
- Zillow data signal a modest rise in primary rent; OER is wild but likely won’t rise much faster than primary rents.
- Both used vehicle and hotel room prices probably fell in March; the early Easter might depress goods prices too.
Ian Shepherdson (Chief Economist, Chairman and Founder)US
- Revisions between the first and third payroll estimate have become bigger and increasingly negative.
- Under pressure SMEs likely are under-represented in the first estimate; expect larger downward revisions in Q2.
- We expect another fall in the NFIB index in March, as small businesses remain under pressure.
Ian Shepherdson (Chief Economist, Chairman and Founder)US