brought to you by Philip Blancato, Osaic's Chief Market Strategist ECONOMIC REVIEW1 The much-anticipated November employment report showed nonfarm payrolls rising by 64,000, modestly above consensus expectations following an unusually weak October report. Prior months were revised lower, with October showing a sharp decline that reflected shutdown-related disruptions rather than a sudden deterioration in labor […]

brought to you by Philip Blancato, Osaic's Chief Market Strategist ECONOMIC REVIEW1 The Federal Reserve (Fed) cut interest rates by 0.25%, bringing the target range to 3.50% - 3.75%. This marks the third consecutive rate cut in 2025, with a combined 1.75% of rate cuts since September 2024. Nine Fed board members voted to support […]

brought to you by Philip Blancato, Osaic's Chief Market Strategist ECONOMIC REVIEW1 In the wake of the government shutdown, more economic data points that were delayed are now being released, and although likely stale, they can provide insight into how the economy has held up over the past few months. Among the delayed reports was […]

brought to you by Philip Blancato, Osaic's Chief Market Strategist ECONOMIC REVIEW1 Although Thanksgiving shortened the work week, several critical government shutdown-delayed reports were released ahead of the holiday. September retail sales rose 0.2%, which lagged the consensus estimates of +0.4%, but marked the fourth consecutive monthly increase. Retail sales are up 4.3% over the […]

brought to you by Philip Blancato, Osaic's Chief Market Strategist ECONOMIC REVIEW1 On Thursday, the longest government shutdown in history ended after 43 days. The end of the government shutdown means that economic data will once again be slated for release in the coming weeks and months. The White House has noted that because of […]

brought to you by Philip Blancato, Osaic's Chief Market Strategist ECONOMIC REVIEW1 On Sunday, progress toward ending the longest government shutdown on record gained momentum, as eight Democrat lawmakers joined Republicans in advancing a funding measure. While the shutdown remains in effect for now, it is expected to conclude this week, paving the way for […]

brought to you by Philip Blancato, Osaic's Chief Market Strategist ECONOMIC REVIEW1 The release of government data has been suspended due to the government shutdown. Investors still have access to economic data through private sources that may not be as holistic as government reports but can still offer a glimpse into the economy. The University […]

brought to you by Philip Blancato, Osaic's Chief Market Strategist ECONOMIC REVIEW1 The number of job openings grew to 7.22 million in August, leaving roughly one open job for every unemployed person in the U.S. – a sign that the labor market remains healthy. The total number of job quits fell slightly, signaling employee confidence […]

brought to you by Philip Blancato, Osaic's Chief Market Strategist ECONOMIC REVIEW1 US Retail sales rose 0.6% in August, the same as July’s upwardly revised gain and stronger than the 0.2% increase expected, with spending led by non-store retailers, clothing, and restaurants. Core retail sales, which exclude autos, gas, food services, and building materials, which […]