My electricity usage over time. I track many things to monitor my inflation versus the CPI.
This week's full report.
Gasoline pump prices fell -3.0¢ for the week, and continues well below year ago levels, by -66.8¢, or -17.2%. Days supply edged up to 25. For perspective... last year was 24.8 days.
Advance Monthly Sales for Retail and Food Services, August Report.
Advance estimates of U.S. retail and food services sales for August 2024, adjusted for seasonal variation and holiday and trading-day differences, but not for price changes, were $710.8 billion, an increase of 0.1 percent (±0.5 percent)* from the previous month, and up 2.1 percent (±0.5 percent) from August 2023.
Note the numbers are not adjusted for inflation. Keep in mind, the BLS listed the annual inflation rate of 2.5%
First up, the revision history (might need to click on, to up scale)...
The historical numbers, also with adjustments for inflation...
After last month's "stellar" report, which was mostly from revisions and other items, this month is tame.
There were winners and losers, however. The biggest sales numbers come from the auto sector, which faded a bit over the past month in adjusted sales, and is below the annual.
The next biggest sector is food and beverage stores, which also saw a decrease in adjusted sales. General merchandise continued that trend, with department stores sales for adjusted monthly and annual falling.
Food services and drinking establishments held steady for the monthly adjusted.
Mail order companies, continue to outpace nearly all others.
The race continues to somewhat tighten, with the electoral vote forecast now having Trump/Vance with 245 to 226 for Harris/Walz. The toss-ups are now at 61, with an edge still favoring Trump at 42 and Harris at 19. Thus, Trump at 306 and Harris at 232. 270 is needed to win. 52 days to go.
While Harris finally moved up on the electoral count, it was more of Virginia moving out of the Toss-up range in her favor.
While nothing is firm until after the election... Trump seems to have a firmer grip on 245 EVs, with the following odds in a few other states.
Harris has whittled away at what was once a commanding Trump lead, but can that pace continue over the next 52 days?
Now the question is whether I will continue to track all this, as my several of my files have become corrupted, and several attempts to restore them have failed. So do I go back to square 1?
The BLS has released the September 2024 Producer Price Index Report for the month of August. (historical releases)
The Producer Price Index for final demand increased 0.2 percent in August, seasonally adjusted, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Final demand prices were unchanged in July and rose 0.2 percent in June. (See table A.) On an unadjusted basis, the index for final demand advanced 1.7 percent for the 12 months ended in August.
The August rise in the index for final demand can be traced to a 0.4-percent increase in prices for final demand services. The index for final demand goods was unchanged.
This week's full report.
Gasoline pump prices fell -6.4¢ for the week, and continues well below year ago levels, by -57.9¢, or -15.1%. Days supply edged up to 24.7. For perspective... last year was 24.8 days.
On to the Real Earnings.
Harkening back to February 2020, when the real hourly rate was $11.02, that rate is now $11.21 for hourly- private non farm payrolls, seasonally adjusted...
Laugh of the week Watching Sky News and a lady proclaimed that social media sites should be held to the same strict standards as newspaper p...
