Knight Financial

Last week’s economic data offered a mixed view of the U.S. economy, beginning with a notable rebound in consumer sentiment. On Tuesday, consumer confidence rose sharply in May to 98 from 85.7 in April, reversing five months of declines. The improvement was driven by a significant increase in expectations for future income and business conditions. Current assessments of the economy also improved, though concerns about job availability remained.

Weekly Market Commentary May 27th, 2025 Week in Review... Markets started last week on a quiet note but quickly shifted gears as a flurry of economic data arrived in the second half. Key reports on housing, business sentiment, and inflation expectations gave investors...

Weekly Market Commentary May 19th, 2025 Week in Review... The Consumer Price Index (CPI) for April rose 0.2% month-over-month and 2.3% year-over-year, in line with expectations. Core CPI, which excludes food and energy, also increased 0.2% on the month, signaling...

Last week was pivotal for market analysts, despite the lower volume of reports. The week was front-loaded with significant data providing crucial insights into various market sectors.

Last week brought a series of economic indicators that painted a cautious picture of the current economic landscape. On Monday, the Conference Board reported a notable drop in the Consumer Confidence Index for April, which fell by 7.9 points to 86.0 — the lowest level since May 2020. This marked the fifth consecutive monthly decline, underscoring mounting pessimism about future business conditions, employment prospects, and income levels. Also on Monday, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released its Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) for March, showing job openings held steady at 7.2 million but were down by 901,000 from a year earlier. The stability in job openings and hires, coupled with an unchanged quit rate, pointed to a cooling labor market and heightened caution among workers.