U.S. Commerce Department

Optimistic investors may want to view the Q1 U.S. GDP report this way: the worst is likely behind us, from a GDP decline standpoint. The nation's economy contracted a revised 5.7 percent in Q1, following a 6.3 percent contraction in Q4 2008, the U.S. Commerce Department announced Friday, as the...

It looks like the green shoots are being momentarily stunted by a dry spell. U.S. housing starts plummeted 12.8 percent in April, the U.S. Commerce Department announced Tuesday (pdf). Housing starts for new homes fell to a 458,000 annual rate in April -- the weakest level since the 1940s. Housing...

Tepid conditions persist in the new home sector, but lukewarm activity was still enough to ignite hope for a possible housing bottom later this year. New home sales were roughly unchanged in March, the U.S. Commerce Department announced Friday, boosted by an upward revision in new home sales for...

U.S. housing starts plummeted 10.8 percent in March, the U.S. Commerce Department announced Friday. New home construction experienced a setback after a large gain in February had sparked optimism in some circles that a housing sector recovery was on its way (pdf). Housing starts for new homes fell...

One popular characterization of the current economy is a commercial climate with "green shoots" -- small, initial signs of a recovery. Business inventories may be one such sign. Business inventories fell 1.3 percent in February, the U.S. Commerce Department announced Tuesday, as businesses...

The pronounced recession that has created hardships in every quarter of U.S. society has led to one long-term benefit for the U.S. economy: a decreasing trade deficit. This will benefit the U.S. economy long-term if the present trend of lower imports continues. The other side of the ledger --...

Perhaps this is another one of those 'green shoots' in the economy that Fed Chair Ben Bernanke is talking about. Wholesale inventories declined for the first time in eight months in February, falling 1.5 percent, the U.S. Commerce Department announced Wednesday (pdf), with the overall drop in...

Score a positive data point for the U.S. economy. I'm not even talking about the G-20 approving additional funds for the IMF or the suggestion that there will be an agreement on fiscal stimulus. I'm referring to an actual, specific, worthy-of-a-minor-fist-pump uptick in one of the economy's main...

A mixed bag concerning two key economic data points released Wednesday -- one showing continued problems in the nation's beleaguered manufacturing sector, the other a smaller-than-expected decline in construction spending. First, the Institute for Supply Management announced that its manufacturing...

The U.S. consumer's belt tightening resumes. Although consumer spending rose 0.2 percent in February, real consumer spending (which takes inflation into account) actually fell 0.2 percent, the U.S. Commerce Department announced Friday. Both figures suggest a return to consumer frugality after a...