Labor Costs Hit a Wall as Wage Growth Stalls Out
The Employment Cost Index held dead flat at 3.4% in the fourth quarter, marking the second straight quarter without any acceleration in what businesses pay their workers. That’s a sharp deceleration f
Data Wire
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US National Debt Takes Rare Daily Dip as Fiscal Reality Looms
The US national debt ticked down $9.2 billion to $38.95 trillion on Monday — a tiny daily decrease that’s almost meaningless except for what it highlights: we’re now adding roughly $2.7 trillion per y
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Two-Year Treasury Yield Jumps as Rate Cut Bets Cool
Bond traders are hitting the brakes on rate cut expectations. The 2-year Treasury yield spiked to 3.84% Monday, up from 3.78% Friday — a meaningful move in the bond world that suggests the market is r
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10-Year Treasury Yield Creeps Higher as Market Tests Fed’s Resolve
The 10-year Treasury yield edged up to 4.36% on Monday, a modest 1 basis point increase that continues the benchmark rate’s slow grind higher over the past week. What started at 4.30% last Monday has
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US Oil Inventories Crater 74% in Massive Supply Draw
US crude oil stocks plunged 22.2 million barrels to just 7.6 million barrels — a staggering 74% drop that signals either massive demand acceleration or serious supply disruption. This isn’t a typical
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Natural Gas Prices Hit Fresh Lows as Spring Demand Fades
Natural gas just dropped to $2.70 per million BTU — the lowest level in over a year and down 11.5% from this time last spring. That six-week slide from $3.11 to $2.70 tells a story about both seasonal
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Housing Starts Jump 11% as Construction Boom Accelerates
Housing starts surged to 1.502 million units in March, an 11% monthly jump that pushed construction activity 17% higher than a year ago. That’s the strongest pace since late 2022, suggesting builders
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National Debt Hits $38.96 Trillion as Energy Crisis Drives Fiscal Concerns
The US national debt crossed $38.96 trillion last week, adding $7.3 billion in just three trading days. What makes this surge particularly notable: it’s happening while an energy crisis hammers govern
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2-Year Treasury Yields Hit Stall Speed as Energy Crisis Muddles Fed Path
The 2-year Treasury yield held dead flat at 3.78% through Friday, capping a week of indecision that tells the story of a bond market stuck between conflicting signals. After bouncing around between 3.
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Treasuries Rise as Oil Shock Keeps Fed on Pause
Bond yields climbed to 4.35% Monday, up from 4.31% on Thursday, as the 10-year Treasury continues its volatile dance around energy-driven inflation fears. The move higher reflects investors pricing in
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Gas Prices Jump Nearly 2% in a Week as Summer Driving Season Looms
Gas prices spiked 1.95% in just one week, hitting $4.12 per gallon — the highest level in over a month. That’s a 30% jump from where we were a year ago, putting the average fill-up about $15 more expe
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Treasury Bills Hit Six-Month Low as Government Borrowing Costs Keep Falling
The government’s borrowing tab just got a little cheaper. Treasury bill rates dropped to 3.70% in March, down from 3.72% in February and marking the lowest level since September 2025. That’s a 14.2% d
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Treasury Rates Keep Climbing — And the Government’s Interest Bill Is Starting to Bite
The average rate on Treasury notes hit 3.21% in March, up from 3.19% the month prior and 6.8% higher than a year ago. That might sound like a small move, but it represents six straight months of risin
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Treasury Rates Edge Higher as Government Borrowing Costs Creep Up
The average rate on Treasury bonds ticked up to 3.39% in March, continuing a slow but steady climb that’s now pushed government borrowing costs 3.5% higher than a year ago.
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US National Debt Ticks Down Despite $2.8 Trillion Annual Surge
The US national debt dropped $16 billion to $39.0 trillion yesterday — a rare daily decline that barely dents the massive $2.8 trillion increase over the past year. That’s a 7.69% annual growth rate,
