Relevant and even prescient commentary on news, politics and the economy.

CDC and Covid

As taken from the Comments Section., Commenter RJS . . . the CDC reports that the trend in hospital admissions for Covid was up 12.1% to 8,035 over the most recent week, while the trend in the percentage of Covid deaths was again unchanged…if we go back three weeks on the CDC’s Covid deaths graph to the death totals which presumably […]

RJS: Latest US Oil Supply and Disposition Data from the EIA 

RJS: Focus on Fracking ________ Summary: US oil supplies at an 18 year low, SPR at a 36 year low, total oil + oil products supply at a 13½ year low. _________ Detail: The Latest US Oil Supply and Disposition Data from the EIA  Sidenote: The US oil data reported this week by the US Energy Information Administration includes updated data for the […]

1st Quarter GDP Revised to Show Economy Shrunk at a 1.6% Rate

RJS: MarketWatch 666 Summary: modest revision. The internals were revised as much as I’ve ever seen. PCE growth from 3.1% to 1.8%, real gross private domestic investment growth from 0.5% to 5.0%. Mostly due to greater inventories. Those 1st quarter inventories set up the 2nd quarter for a fall. ~~~~~~~ 1st Quarter GDP Revised to Show Our Economy Shrunk […]

Producer Prices Up and Record Increase for Final Demand Goods

RJS, MarketWatch 666 ~~~~~~~ Summary: Producer Prices Rose 0.8% in May; Record Annual Increase of 16.6% for Final Demand Goods The seasonally adjusted Producer Price Index (PPI) for final demand rose 0.8% in May, as average prices for finished wholesale goods rose by 1.4% while final demand for services was 0.4% higher. The increase followed a revised […]

Retail Sales Fell in May, March and April Revised

RJS, MarketWatch 666 ~~~~~~~ Summary: Retail Sales Fell 0.3% in May After March and April Sales Were Revised Lower Seasonally adjusted retail sales fell 0.3% in May after retail sales for April were revised 0.4% lower. The  Advance Retail Sales Report for May (pdf) from the Census Bureau estimated our seasonally adjusted retail and food services […]

Global Oil Surplus Per Day as OPEC output fell to 1.049 million bpd below quota

RJS: Focus on Fracking ~~~~~~~ Summary: Global oil surplus at 560,000 barrels per day in May as OPEC output fell to 1.049 million bpd below quota ~~~~~~~ OPEC’s Report on Global Oil for May Tuesday of this week saw the release of OPEC’s June Oil Market Report, which includes details on OPEC & global oil data […]

RJS: EIA US Oil Supply and Disposition Report

Summary: US oil supplies at a 17½ year low. SPR at a 35 year low after the SPR largest withdrawal on record. Gasoline supplies at a 6-month low. ~~~~~~~~ The Latest US Oil Supply and Disposition Data from the EIA US oil data from the US Energy Information Administration for the week ending June 10th show that […]

April Trade Deficit Decreases on Lower Imports

RJS: MarketWatch 666 ~~~~~~~~ Summary: April Trade Deficit Decreased by a record 19.1%, Led by Lower Imports of Consumer Goods and Industrial Supplies and Materials ~~~~~~~~ Our trade deficit was 19.1% lower in April, as our exports increased while our imports decreased. The  Commerce Dept report on our international trade in goods and services for […]

RJS; EIA US Oil Supply and Disposition Report

RJS: Focus on Fracking Summary: US oil supplies at a 17½ year low with SPR at a 35 year low; refinery utilization highest since 2019, refinery throughput highest in 17 months; gasoline supplies at a 6 month low even with gasoline imports at a 46 week high The Latest US Oil Supply and Disposition Data […]

April Construction Spending Up 2%, March Spend Revised

RJS: MarketWatch 666 Summary: Construction Spending Up 0.2% on Higher Prices in April, after March Spending was Revised 0.6% Higher The Census Bureau’s report on construction spending for April (pdf) estimated the month’s seasonally adjusted construction spending was at a $1,744.8 billion annual rate during the month. Up 0.2 percent (±0.8 percent)* from the revised March annual […]