Economic indicators

Economists lowered their projections for the consumer price index as well as the personal consumption expenditures price index for every quarter through the first half of 2024, according to the latest Bloomberg monthly survey.

The U.S. economy stalled in recent weeks, with hiring and inflation slowing and access to credit narrowing, the Federal Reserve said in its survey of regional business contacts.

An estimated 70% of goods transported in steel boxes on giant ships do so under long-term contracts and those deals were renegotiated in 2021 and 2022 at much higher rates. Big retailers and manufacturers may not be seeing enough shipping-rate reductions yet to warrant slashing prices further.

The Pittsburgh bank posted a solid profit and said that it expects continued loan growth. But the pace of business expansion could slow alongside an economic downturn.

Significantly fewer households expected to be in worse shape in the coming year than was the case last summer, according to a December survey. The results are a positive sign for banks at the start of earnings season.

As challenges will persist in the year ahead, the industry still plans on development, growth and new technology

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen called October's positive inflation report in the U.S. "a good reading," but cautioned against relying too much on one data point.

The Federal Reserve appeared closer to moderating aggressive interest rate increases after welcome news on inflation, with three officials backing a downshift even as they stressed that policy needs to stay tight.

The American consumer is "in good shape" and spending more this month than a year earlier, even amid inflation, jittery markets and international tensions, according to Bank of America Chief Executive Brian Moynihan.

Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell said the central bank will remain aggressive in fighting inflation despite promising economic data.

The American Bankers Association’s credit conditions index fell sharply, as economists foresaw dampening loan demand. The weaker outlook lines up with major bank CEOs’ increased worries over a possible recession.

An American Bankers Association panel of experts predicted much slower economic growth, but agreed that the U.S. economy will avoid a recession over the next couple of years.

In a recent survey, just over half of community bankers expressed concern that the central bank will harm the U.S. economy by raising rates too fast in its quest to contain inflation.

The 2022 origination outlook was dropped by $172 billion and for 2023, economists at the government-sponsored enterprise made a $226 billion reduction.

This group is decidedly less ambivalent about the housing market — and saving and investing — than their millennial brothers and sisters.

It’s not just potential buyers and sellers holding this perception; over four-in-10 real estate agents agree with that sentiment.

Modest reductions were made to the 2021 and 2022 outlooks, although the government-sponsored enterprise did boost purchase expectations for this year.

About 40% of likely purchasers are delaying or cancelling their activity, a Redfin survey found.

While 2021 projections are unchanged from November, they are 2% higher than what the organization's economic forecast in October.

Recent existing home sales have been stronger than expected, but next year could see a market held back by the inventory shortage and higher rates.