Clarksville Weekly Market Snapshot from Frazier Allen for the week of June 10th, 2015
June 10, 2015
Clarksville, TN – The economic data reports were mixed, but nonfarm payrolls rose more than expected (+280,000) in the initial estimate for May. Seasonal adjustment issues may have been a factor (as education job losses were a lot smaller than usual).
The unemployment rate edged up to 5.5%, but that partly reflected increased labor force participation for teenagers and young adults (also consistent with seasonal adjustment problems).
Mining, which includes energy exploration, fell by 17,200, down 68,400 since December.
Frazier Allen
Clarksville Weekly Market Snapshot from Frazier Allen for the week of May 31st, 2015
May 31, 2015
Clarksville, TN – The economic data reports remained mixed. Real GDP fell at a 0.7% annual rate in the second estimate for 1Q15 (vs. +0.2% in the advance estimate). The revision largely reflected slower inventory growth and a wider trade deficit. Consumer spending rose at a 1.8% pace (vs. +1.9%), while business fixed investment fell 2.8% (vs. -3.8%).
There is currently a debate about whether the seasonal pattern in a number of GDP components may have changed post-recession. Unfortunately, we really don’t have enough data to say for sure.
Frazier Allen
Clarksville Weekly Market Snapshot from Frazier Allen for the week of May 10th, 2015
May 10, 2015
Clarksville, TN – The April employment report was in line with expectations. Details suggested: 1) a rebound from March weather effects; 2) some moderation in the underlying pace of job growth (relative to the very brisk pace of 4Q14); and 3) a very gradual pace of reduction in labor market slack.
Nonfarm payrolls rose by 223,000, while the weather-restrained March increase was revised down to +85,000 (from +126,000) – leaving an average monthly gain of 154,000 for March and April. The unemployment rate was essentially unchanged at 5.4%. Average hourly earnings rose 0.1%, up 2.2% year-over-year (still lackluster).
Frazier Allen
Clarksville Weekly Market Snapshot from Frazier Allen for the week of March 11th, 2015
March 11, 2015
Clarksville, TN – The economic data were mixed, but the February Employment Report was stronger than expected. Nonfarm payrolls rose by 295,000 (±105,000), with a revision to January of -18,000. The BLS indicated that the payroll survey missed most of the bad weather that hit last month.
The household survey showed that 328,000 could not make it to work due to bad weather, which is about average (it was 601,000 in February 2014). Average weekly hours held steady (no weather impact).
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Clarksville Weekly Market Snapshot from Frazier Allen for the week of September 21st, 2014
September 21, 2014
Clarksville, TN – Fed policymakers reduced the monthly pace of asset purchases (QE3) by another $10 billion, to $15 billion, on track to finish buying at the end of October. The Fed repeated that “it likely will be appropriate to maintain the current target range for the federal funds rate for a considerable time after the asset purchase program ends.”
Fed officials’ projections of the appropriate year-end federal funds target rate indicated that most expect to begin raising short-term interest rates sometime in 2015, but there was a wide range in the individual forecasts (and implicitly, in their expectations of when rates will start to rise – with most spread roughly evenly between March and September).
Frazier Allen
Clarksville Weekly Market Snapshot from Frazier Allen for the week of September 14th, 2014
September 14, 2014
Clarksville, TN – The economic data calendar was thin. Retail sales rose as expected in August. However, the figures for June and July were revised higher.
While the pace of consumer spending growth does not appear to be especially strong into 3Q14, it’s not terrible weak either (and certainly not as bad as the data suggested a month ago). Financial market participants didn’t seem to care much about the retail sales data.
Global anxieties receded a bit as the “no” vote for Scottish independence regained an upper hand in the polls. The markets didn’t react much to President Obama’s call for military action in the Middle East.
Frazier Allen
Clarksville Weekly Market Snapshot from Frazier Allen for the week of September 7th, 2014
September 7, 2014
Clarksville, TN – The economic data were mixed. ISM surveys were stronger than expected. Unit auto sales rocketed to a 17.4 million seasonally adjusted annual rate, the strongest pace since January 2006.
The Fed’s Beige Book, the summary of anecdotal economic information from the 12 Federal Reserve districts, was essentially more of the same (growth described as “modest to moderate”). The August Employment Report was disappointing.
Frazier Allen
New APSU Spanish class tackles vampires and zombies
April 3, 2014
Clarksville, TN – The last few years have been rough for Spain. The unemployment rate is close to 30 percent, which has led to daily protests and civil unrest in that European nation. For some scholars, this turmoil helps explain the sudden popularity of vampire and zombie literature in that country.
“Spain is in shambles,” Dr. Osvaldo Di Paolo, Austin Peay State University associate professor of Spanish, said. “From 2008, the world crisis has hit them hard. When you read a novel from Spain about a zombie apocalypse, it makes you feel like this is happening. You feel the same destruction of society in every aspect.”
APSU associate professor Dr. Osvaldo Di Paolo.
Clarksville Weekly Market Snapshot from Frazier Allen for the week of March 16th, 2014
March 16, 2014
Clarksville, TN – Next week, the focus will be on the Fed’s policy decision and Janet Yellen’s first press briefing as Fed chair. The Federal Open Market Committee is expected to taper the monthly pace of asset purchases by another $10 billion (to $55 billion).
Policymakers are also expected to tweak the language of the forward guidance (the Fed’s conditional commitment to keep the overnight lending rate exceptionally low). Specifically, we can expect the FOMC to discard the 6.5% unemployment rate threshold.
Frazier Allen
Clarksville Weekly Market Snapshot from Frazier Allen for the week of March 9th, 2014
March 9, 2014
Clarksville, TN – There was plenty of fresh economic data, but most of it was distorted by the weather (which can have different effects depending on which areas of the country get hit).
Nonfarm payrolls rose by 175,000 in the initial estimate for February (median forecast: +150,000, although market participants were likely braced for about +130,000). Figures for December and January were revised a net 25,000 higher.
Frazier Allen
