Indicators
From US Stores to Factory Floors, Second Quarter Starts Out Slow
- Weaker-than-expected April results reported for key indicators
- Signs of cooling US economy spark hopes of Fed rate cuts
Shoppers carry bags in Walnut Creek, California. A report Wednesday showed stagnant retail sales after healthy advances in the prior two months.
Photographer: David Paul Morris/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
A string of reports this week illustrated a slow start for the US economy in the second quarter, adding to evidence that demand is cooling which will help set the stage for the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates.
New US home construction and manufacturing both came in softer than expected, according to data released Thursday. That followed reports that showed a steep dropoff in retail sales and the first step down in underlying inflation in six months, sending stocks soaring.