Economic Commentary

April 5, 2021 Chief Economist Scott Brown discusses current economic conditions. As the pandemic recedes and the economy reopens, we can expect strong job growth in the months ahead. The March figures were a start. We may soon see monthly gains in nonfarm payrolls of a million or more. However, as employment rebounds, labor market […]

March 26, 2020 Chief Economist Scott Brown discusses the latest market data. February’s bad weather continued to affect the economic data reports, with declines in new and existing home sales, as well as durable goods orders and shipments. Personal income fell 7.1% in February, reflecting January’s direct deposits (which have also gone out in March). […]

March 26, 2021 Chief Economist Scott Brown discusses current economic conditions. Economic data rarely follow a smooth path. Weather and external events have effects. Consumer spending can be uneven. New orders tend to come in bunches. One should never place a lot of weight on one particular month’s worth of data. The stories behind the […]

March 12, 2020 Chief Economist Scott Brown discusses the latest market data. The $1.9 trillion fiscal package passed both chambers of Congress and was signed by President Biden. In a prime-time speech, Biden promised that vaccines will be available to all adults by May 1, with a return to a sense of “normal” likely by […]