Three economic updates today provide more evidence that moderate growth endures for the US. The numbers du jour—weekly jobless claims, the Chicago Fed National Activity Index, and Markit’s US purchasing managers index (PMI) for manufacturing—paint an upbeat profile of the macro trend. The main takeaway: the deflationary threat festering in Europe has yet to take a bite out of the US economy’s forward momentum.
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● US Inflation Remains Tame | Wall St Journal
Consumer-price index ticks up 0.1%, likely giving Fed leeway on rate hikes
● Euro-Area Manufacturing Grows as Risk of Recession Eases | Bloomberg
A Purchasing Managers’ Index showed manufacturing in the region unexpectedly grew this month, while Spain’s economy showed signs of a further recovery, with third-quarter unemployment dropping to the lowest level since 2011. In Germany, factories rebounded from a slump in September.
● Oil slump leaves Russia weaker than decaying Soviet Union | Telegraph
Russia had the chance at the end of the Cold War to build a modern, diversified economy, with the enthusiastic help of the West. That chance has been squandered
● Bond funds stock up on Treasuries in prep for market shock | Reuters
U.S. corporate bond funds this year are adding Treasuries to their holdings at more than twice the rate of corporate debt amid concern that the struggling European economy and potential changes in Federal Reserve policy will drag down profits at U.S. corporations.
● Ebola, GDP & Markets | Cumberland Advisors
It is becoming clear that overcoming the challenges in the fight against Ebola is related to the size of an economy. The very poor countries face the greatest difficulty.