Notwithstanding the improvement in the deficit, which signals a diminished drag on domestic GDP, the broad-based falloff in both exports and imports activity is a sobering sign of some weakening in domestic and global demand.

Millan Mulraine

Categorized in : Business

It means in the next month or so we are unlikely to see a massive rebound in growth momentum. These are not the numbers that would inspire confidence in the Fed to tighten policy.

Millan Mulraine

The continued weakness in both import and producer prices suggest that pipeline inflationary pressures remain quite weak.

Millan Mulraine

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The slow momentum will likely complicate the case of a June rate hike, we see the September meeting as the earliest point at which conditions will provide the necessary confidence in the sustainability of the economic recovery.

Millan Mulraine

The underlying message appears to be that pipeline inflationary pressures remain quite weak, even as energy prices have stabilized and gasoline prices have drifted modestly higher.

Millan Mulraine

The general tone of this report was weak and it adds to a wide array of housing indicators that have been pointing in the wrong direction, underscoring continued sluggishness in this crucial segment of the economy.

Millan Mulraine

Overall, the tone of this report was disappointing as it points to a weak start to spending activity this year, despite the significant boost to disposable income from lower gasoline prices.

Millan Mulraine

With gasoline prices remaining low (providing a huge windfall to U.S. consumers), confidence sky-high and the buoyancy in labor market activity likely to bolster household income, we expect consumer spending activity to rebound strongly in the coming months.

Millan Mulraine

That would be seen as encouraging given everything that is going on in the rest of the world and would reinforce the notion that consumer spending will remain a key pillar of support for the U.S. economy.

Millan Mulraine

With labor market conditions continuing to be favorable ... we believe that it will be only a matter of time before the housing recovery shifts up a gear or two and provides a crucial second wind to the economic recovery.

Millan Mulraine

The sharp rise in pace of capacity utilization is of particular interest as it could be seen as an indication of accelerating resource slack absorption in the U.S. economy.

Millan Mulraine

This report will go some way in providing further confirmation about the sustainability of the current economic recovery.

Millan Mulraine