Import Prices Declined 0.4% in November, Export Prices Down 0.9%
Washington, DC, December 14, 2023—Prices for U.S. imports decreased 0.4% in November following a 0.6% decline the previous month, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported.
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Fed Shifts Focus to Preventing Recession As Well As Beating Inflation
New York, NY, December 14, 2023-"The Federal Reserve has two mandates: lower inflation and prevent recession,” reports the Wall Street Journal. “For two years, though, it behaved as if only the first mattered, raising interest rates so steeply that it knew it was courting recession.
Initial Jobless Claims Declined by 19,000 in Week Ending Dec. 9
Washington, DC, December 14, 2023—In the week ending December 9, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 202,000, a decrease of 19,000 from the previous week's revised level, according to the Department of Labor.
Distrib. Trade Sales & Manu. Shipments Down 1.0% in October
Washington, DC, December 14, 2023—The combined value of distributive trade sales and manufacturers’ shipments for October was estimated at $1,856.2 billion, down 1.0% from September 2023 and was down 0.2% from October 2022, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Producer Prices Unchanged in November After Declining in October
Washington, DC, December 13, 2023—The Producer Price Index for final demand was unchanged in November, seasonally adjusted, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported.
Mortgage Applications Rose 7.4% in Week Ending December 8
Washington, DC, December 13, 2023-Mortgage applications increased 7.4% from one week earlier, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending December 8, 2023.
J+J Holds Seventh Annual Helping Hands Event
Dalton, GA, December 13, 2023—Each November and December, J+J Flooring’s annual Helping Hands initiative engages designers and flooring professionals who team up and create festive Christmas trees based on different motifs chosen by kids.
Liebert Named EVP of Residential for Shaw, Succeeding Sandlin
Dalton, GA, December 11, 2023-Shaw Industries announced that Benjamin Liebert has been named as executive vice president of its residential business. He will succeed Scott Sandlin in the role, beginning January 3, 2024.
Ceramic Imports Declined 10.2% YOY in First Ten Months of 2023
New York, NY, December 12, 2023-In the first ten months of 2023, total U.S. imports of ceramic tile were 156.7 million square meter, a decline of 10.2% from the same period in 2022 when imports were 174.5 million square meters.
Consumer Prices Rose 3.1% YOY in November
Washington, DC, December 12, 2023—The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased 0.1% in November on a seasonally adjusted basis, after being unchanged in October, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported.