U.S. Economic News
April 10, 2019
U.S. Economic Indicators
Consumer prices rose 0.4% in March (up 1.9% from a year ago). The “core” CPI, which excludes food and energy, increased 0.1% in March and is up 2.0% from twelve months ago. BLS Report
U.S. News
The Wall Street Journal reports that the International Monetary Fund has cut its global growth forecast for this year to 3.3%, down from 3.5% in January. The IMF attributed its lower expectations to an environment of increased trade tensions, declining business confidence, tightening financial conditions, and higher policy uncertainty across many economies. WSJ
According to the Financial Times, the European Central Bank has reiterated its commitment to hold rates steady through at least the end of 2019, keeping monetary stimulus in place until the eurozone’s slowdown reverses course. The ECB is also planning to issue cheap central bank funding in an effort to resist credit shortages and is considering implementing a tiered deposit rate. FT