Market Insight Quarterly
U.S. economy sends mixed signals amid uncertainty. Second quarter data continued to paint the picture of a slowing but still growing economy. First quarter gross domestic product (GDP) rose 3.1%, according to the first revision released May 29. Although headline growth was revised down, it was still the biggest first-quarter GDP gain since 2015, showing the U.S. economy remained resilient against trade and political headwinds. However, inventories and net exports accounted for about half of first quarter GDP growth, a temporary boost that may take away from growth in future quarters…
Market Insight Monthly
Consumers showed signs of strength in July’s U.S. economic data. Leading indicators fell month over month for the first time in 2019. Still, the Conference Board’s Leading Economic Index (LEI) rose 1.6% year over year in June. Even though leading indicators have slowed recently, the LEI continues to expand year over year, signaling future economic growth. Gross domestic product (GDP) increased 2.1% in the second quarter, bolstered by consumer spending’s 2.9% contribution to growth. Government spending added 0.9%, its largest contribution since 2009. Trade and inventories subtracted 1.5% from overall growth, after adding a similar amount in the first quarter, while business spending was a slight drag on growth in the quarter…
Creating a Household Budget
Keeping track of spending — so you can understand your habits and spend more wisely — is an important reason for creating a household budget. This infosheet can be a starting place for those creating a household budget for the first time and is intended to provide helpful hints. It is based on the same principles as many popular personal finance programs. Therefore, following these guidelines should be a complement to any interactive budgeting program you may want to use…
