Retail sales jump 3% in January, smashing expectations despite inflation increase
Sales at retailers rose far more than expected in January as consumers persevered despite rising inflation pressures. Advance retail sales for the month increased 3%, compared with expectations for a rise of 1.9%, the Commerce Department reported Wednesday. Excluding autos, sales rose 2.3%, according to the report, which is not adjusted for inflation. The ex-autos […]
Nonfarm payrolls rose 223,000 in December, as strong jobs market tops expectations
Payroll growth decelerated in December but was still better than expected, a sign that the labor market remains strong even as the Federal Reserve tries to slow economic growth. Nonfarm payrolls increased by 223,000 for the month, above the Dow Jones estimate for 200,000, while the unemployment rate fell to 3.5%, 0.2 percentage point below […]