Economic Commentary Articles for Advisors

Housing set up for another solid year

February 24, 2020

Homebuilders are planning for a strong year from homebuyers. After housing starts surged to a 13-year high in December (helped by unusually warm weather), a drop was expected for January. Starts did pull back, but the 3.6 percent decline was less than expected and it left starts at an annualized pace of 1.57 million — only trailing December’s figure for the strongest level of the expansion.

Economic commentary

February Economic Review: The outlook for 2020 is mostly positive, but will the Coronavirus short-circuit the expansion?

February 18, 2020

The economy started off the new decade on several positive notes. However, global equity markets ended January lower following a selloff that gave back early-month gains. Volatility spiked as fears of contagion from the COVID-2019 virus spread around the globe. See Nationwide Economics’ take on what's happening and why this month in the economy.

Economic commentary

Modest consumer spending continues

February 17, 2020

Retail sales were once again softer than expected, as reduced spending at clothing and gasoline retailers offset higher sales from motor vehicle dealers and building materials/garden supply firms in January. The 0.3 percent increase was the fourth consecutive month with growth at that level or weaker (preceded by an outright decline in spending for September). Core retail sales (excluding autos, building materials, and gasoline) were flat in January and have decreased in aggregate over the past five months.

Economic commentary

Week in Review: January was another solid month for the labor market

February 10, 2020

Employers picked up the pace of hiring in January while more people are rejoining the strong job market. The ISM manufacturing index surprised on the upside for January, climbing into expansion territory for the first time since July.

Economic commentary

Stable growth and a steady Fed

February 3, 2020

Real GDP rose by an annualized 2.1 percent pace in the fourth quarter, little changed from the second and third quarters. With economic growth stable and positive, the unemployment rate at 50-year lows, and inflation still weak, the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) kept the federal funds target range unchanged at 1.50-1.75 percent following its January meeting.

Economic commentary

Housing ends 2019 on a hot streak

January 27, 2020

Existing home sales jumped by 3.6 percent in December to an annualized pace of 5.54 million units, the fastest monthly reading in nearly two years. This extended a pickup in sales during the fourth quarter in response to continued positive drivers of housing demand. As sales were weaker at the end of 2018 in reaction to higher mortgage rates then, existing sales in December 2019 were 10.8 percent above levels from a year earlier

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