Brian Bethune
Brian Bethune
crops damage department estimates eventual farms force katrina lessons loses production revised risk state
The risk to crops and farms won't be as significant if it loses force, ... When you look at the lessons from Katrina, the eventual damage to agriculture was less than feared. The department of agriculture actually revised up its estimates of production in the state after Katrina passed.
bias companies demand higher intact quarter raise rates second strong toward
Demand is strong enough for companies to raise prices. This will keep the Fed's bias toward higher rates intact through the second quarter of 2006.
continues growth second sector solid stage
The manufacturing sector continues to steam-roll ahead. The stage is set for solid growth in the second quarter.
behaving core energy feed generally inflation lengthy modest persistent pressure price prices producer quite
Core producer price inflation generally has been behaving quite well. We think there's going to be some modest upward pressure as energy prices feed through the system, but it's not going to be a persistent or lengthy problem.
ahead capital cyclical demand europe expected firm gaining goods japan markets months overseas remain
Demand for capital goods in overseas markets is expected to remain firm in the months ahead as cyclical recoveries in Europe and Japan are gaining momentum.
activity gains job normal overall solid start terms
We'll have very solid overall job gains that will punctuate the start of more normal activity in terms of employment,
cooling federal gradual housing market news welcome
The gradual cooling off of the housing market will be welcome news at the Federal Reserve.
consumers definitely excuse looked needed provided spending strong weather
We're definitely going to see a very strong first quarter. It looked like consumers were hibernating in December, and all they needed was an excuse to go on a spending spree. The weather provided that.
business continued corporate generally good help leads profits rebound saw signal
We saw a big rebound in corporate profits and that's a good signal for continued business investment. That generally leads to hiring, which will help keep consumption going.
farmers fish gets lost price producers production profits recover seafood shrimp
The only consolation to farmers is that the price of seafood will go up further. So when production gets back on track, fish and shrimp producers can use the profits to recover their lost costs.
bonds demand funds insurance pension reports solid underlying
There are reports of solid underlying demand for 30-year bonds from pension funds and insurance companies.
continued core drop energy federal inflation level months next painful pressure price record relief reserve several spells top vigilant welcome
While the record drop in the top level index spells welcome relief from the painful post-hurricane energy price spikes in September, continued pressure on the core index over the next several months will keep the Federal Reserve vigilant on the inflation watch.
continues demand domestic energy external situation sources supply terms
There is an imbalance in terms of the demand and supply of energy which continues to be satisfied, or is increasingly satisfied, by external sources of energy products. Now we have a situation that has been every more complicated because of a domestic supply shock.
aircraft drop expected impact month noise orders outlook strictly
The expected drop in aircraft orders is strictly month-to- month noise and does not have any impact on the outlook for growth.