The Monday Mix: Feb. 12 – 18, 2024

hand holding coffee cup

The U.S. Consumer Price Index rose 0.3% in Jan. (3.1% annualized rate), while producer prices also rose 0.3%, indicating inflation has slowed but staying above 2% Fed target.

U.S. retail sales fell 0.8% in January 2024, much more than expected and breaking a two-month streak of gains. 

S&P 500 earnings were up 3.2% in 4th quarter 2023 (79% of companies reporting) and 2.3% for the entire year, with wide disparity among sectors. 

—  Now officially in a recession, Japan slipped to become the world’s 4th largest economy, with Germany replacing it as #3.

Debt issued to fund green and sustainable projects in 2024 is expected to grow modestly to $1 trillion, mainly driven by Europe with North America declining.

 

Disclaimer: Clicking on any of the above links will take you away from the LNW web page and to the source page. While we believe the information in these articles is relevant, we cannot guarantee its accuracy or completeness.