Hi John,..Re:. I heard GM auto sales were down for April, but have seen other places that (overall) auto sales were up fairly strongly.
Apparently it was just GM, Ford and Daimler Chrysler did well. Seems most retail also did well.
REALITY CHECK: US RETAILERS SAY APRIL EXCEEDED EXPECTATIONS
economeister.com
NEW YORK (MktNews) - Neither Balkan conflicts, Tax Day, nor a
too-early Easter deterred shoppers from their beloved malls during
April, as retail officials reported yet another surprisingly strong
month.
Fed says spending boosts U.S. economy in March-April
biz.yahoo.com
''Consumer spending remains healthy, led by strong motor vehicle sales,'' the Fed summary said. While some manufacturers complained of weak foreign sales, most reported that their business was improving with rising demand for goods like computers and telecommunications equipment.
Also, budget surplus still on schedule and intact. That might keep the bonds better bid but not counting on it. I think Friday's number is likely to be stronger than consensus estimates which might make the bond market swoon again. <g>
CBO keeps U.S surplus unchanged after tax returns
biz.yahoo.com
WASHINGTON, May 5 (Reuters) - The Congressional Budget Office on
Wednesday said it would keep its projection for this fiscal year's
budget surplus unchanged at $111 billion, dashing hopes that
bigger-than-expected April tax returns would swell federal coffers.
Durable goods orders for March got revised UP today. So we looking at a very healthy economy, not to mention an enthusiastic consumer.<g> I think you're right about the influence the market has on consumer enthusiasm.
Regards,
Lee
ISP keeps going down - must be digging up downtown again! <g> |
