Commerce Department

The U.S housing market continues to swing towards a recovery as positive data on new home sales were released earlier today. According to Reuters, the sale of new single family homes rose 2.3 percent in April. The Commerce Department noted in the article that sales have increased to a...

New data released Thursday by the Commerce Department confirmed U.S. first-quarter gross domestic product at 1.9 percent year-over-year growth. This also confirmed economists' expectations of 1.9 percent GDP growth, and it was lower than the 3.0 percent rate seen in the fourth quarter of 2011....

The Commerce Department reported on Monday a 0.4% rise in consumer spending in the US in July. The rise in consumer spending was more than expected and marks the highest gain in four months. Although the higher-than-expected rise in purchases is good for the economy, it comes along with a less-than...

Sales of new U.S. single-family homes rebounded in June after setting a record low in the prior month. The Commerce Department reported this morning that sales jumped 23.6 percent to a 330,000 unit annual rate from a downwardly revised 267,000 units in May. Analysts were looking for new home sales...

Consumer prices fell for the second straight month according to the Labor Department. The Consumer Price Index, the government's most closely watched inflation guage, dropped 0.2 percent in May, following a 0.1 percent dip in April. Less expensive energy bills were the main factor dragging down...

The roller-coaster stock-market ride continued this past week amid worries over Europe and the euro early in the week which followed renewed concern over the state of the economy as revised gross domestic product (GDP) and weekly jobless-claims data became available. Concerns over the ability of...

Sales at U.S. retailers rose (NYSE: RTH) more than expected in April with home-improvement (NYSE: XHB) sales and automobile sales driving the number; ex those items it looks like retail sales actually declined. The Commerce Department said total retail sales rose 0.4% following an upwardly revised...

The U.S. trade deficit rose to a 15-month high in March, giving more evidence that the economy is on the rebound. The Commerce Department said Wednesday that the trade deficit rose 2.5 percent to $40.4 billion in March. Economists were expecting a $40.1 billion deficit. The higher deficit is...

Consumer spending and disposable income increased in March according to a government report. The Commerce Department said spending rose 0.6 percent, in-line with expectations. February consumer spending was revised upwards to show a 0.5 percent increase from a previously reported 0.3 percent gain....

After the Commerce Department reported a strong round of economic data and companies posted impressive earnings results, US stocks rallied. However, the jump was stopped short by a slump in the technology sector. Around three hours into the session, the Dow Jones industrial average (NASDAQ: INDU)...