US job growth last month topped all estimates, the unemployment rate unexpectedly declined, and wage growth accelerated, reducing the odds the Federal Reserve will opt for another big interest-rate cut in November.
US retail sales unexpectedly rose in August, supported by online purchases that masked more mixed results at other merchants.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported on Wednesday that the headline consumer price index (CPI) rose 2.5% in August from a year-earlier, below the 2.9% figure in July.
The Commerce Department reported Monday that orders for durable goods for July, which are items meant to last at least three years, rose 9.9%. Excluding transportation equipment, orders fell 0.2%.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. producer prices for July rose 0.1% from a month earlier. The median forecast in a Bloomberg survey of economists called for a 0.2% gain.
Initial applications for US fell last week by the most in nearly a year, potentially alleviating some concerns that the labor market is cooling too fast following last week’s disappointing jobs report.