Economic Commentary

January 8, 2020 Chief Economist Scott Brown discusses the latest market data. Democrats won the two runoff elections in Georgia, gaining control of the Senate (Vice President-elect Harris will have the tie-breaking vote). There was an insurrection on Capitol Hill as lawmakers were in the process of ratifying the November election results. The stock market […]

December 29, 2020 Raymond James Chief Economist Dr. Scott Brown reflects on the trials and tribulations of 2020 and discusses his outlook for the new year. The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on economic activity in 2020, and we should see a rebound from those effects in 2021. The major hit to the economy […]

December 18, 2020 Chief Economist Scott Brown discusses current economic conditions. The holiday shopping season is critical for most retailers. For some, the season is make or break for the whole year. The November retail sales report was weaker than expected, although amplified by the seasonal adjustment. No surprise, consumers are increasingly shopping online. The […]

Chief Economist Scott Brown discusses current economic conditions. The November Employment Reports was a bit disappointing. Nonfarm payrolls rose by 245,000 (vs. a median forecast of 485,000). The increase was held back by the loss of 93,000 temporary census workers. State and local government continued to shed workers. Seasonal hiring was much lower this year, […]