The most important July inflation number may not be CPI alone. It will be the purchasing power left in an average weekly paycheck—and whether that improvement is spread across a stable employment base. July's data will arrive in three connected stages. The first will show how many jobs and paid hours supported household income. The second will show how … [Read more...] about July 2026 CPI Preview: Jobs, Real Wages and Purchasing Power
Purchasing Power
June 2026 Retail Sales After CPI: Real Consumer Spending Improves
Unadjusted US retail-sales data for June 2026, adjusted using CPI All Items, provides an encouraging indication of recovery in real consumer spending. However, the wider six-month trend remains more moderate than the June result alone suggests. Official June 2026 Retail Sales The US Census Bureau estimated seasonally adjusted retail and food-services sales of $768.6 billion … [Read more...] about June 2026 Retail Sales After CPI: Real Consumer Spending Improves
Employment Report June 2026: Numerical and Monetary Analysis of the U.S. Labor Market
The June 2026 Employment Report needs to be analyzed from two different but closely connected perspectives: the number of people employed and the real purchasing power generated by their earnings. Employment Must Be Analyzed in Both Numerical and Monetary Terms Employment is one of the fundamental pillars supporting the economic system and financial markets. However, … [Read more...] about Employment Report June 2026: Numerical and Monetary Analysis of the U.S. Labor Market
June Employment Data: Real Weekly Earnings Reveal the True Labor-Market Position
The headline employment numbers show that job creation is slowing. However, the most important measure for workers, consumption and the wider economy is not simply how many jobs were created. It is whether weekly earnings are increasing faster than inflation. Employment Growth Is Slowing The June employment report confirms that the pace of job creation is … [Read more...] about June Employment Data: Real Weekly Earnings Reveal the True Labor-Market Position
Retail Sales and Consumption: Energy Costs Continue to Weaken Real Consumer Demand
May 2026 retail-sales analysis, with an energy-price update through mid-June 2026 The current retail-sales and consumption picture is not positive. Although headline sales may rise in nominal dollar terms, inflation-adjusted data indicate that consumers are purchasing less in real terms across important parts of the economy. A sustained slowdown in consumption does not affect … [Read more...] about Retail Sales and Consumption: Energy Costs Continue to Weaken Real Consumer Demand