Economic Analysis and Policy Insights by Heather Long
Heather Long: Healthcare costs put pressure on U.S. employers and Americans
Healthcare costs are again rising for both employers and most Americans. Heather Long stated that one reason employers are hesitant to increase wages is because they are paying significantly more ...
December rate hike appears probable after 'hawkish skip', Fed Chair Kevin Warsh notes
Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh described today's decision as a 'hawkish skip' and emphasized that the job is not done on inflation. Warsh called the U.S. economy 'strong' but added that he does ...
Heather Long: Gas prices expected to stay above $4 a gallon through election
National average gas prices are expected to remain above $4 a gallon through the U.S. election, marking a significant change compared to recent years. Heather Long highlighted that in November ...
Business inflation reached 6.3 percent in September, Heather Long notes
Business inflation surged to 6.3 percent in September, surpassing the expected 5.4 percent. Every category of business inflation remained elevated, even after excluding energy costs. Heather Long ...
Heather Long: September inflation rises more than expected, wage gains wiped out
U.S. inflation saw its biggest monthly increase since May, with both overall inflation and core inflation in September rising more than expected. Core inflation over the past three months has run ...
Skepticism remains over strong growth driving yields, Heather Long notes
Heather Long raises questions about the factors pushing bond yields higher in the U.S., France, and other countries. She expresses skepticism that strong economic growth is the main reason for ...
Heather Long: Unemployment rate rises to 4.2% in September as labor force grows
Heather Long reports that the U.S. unemployment rate increased to 4.2% in September, but attributes this rise to a positive factor: nearly half a million more people entered the labor force ...
Consumption is driving U.S. economy, Heather Long notes
Heather Long emphasizes that consumption remains the primary driver of the U.S. economy. Last year, a widely cited chart from Neil Dutta suggested that the artificial intelligence investment boom ...
Heather Long: U.S. consumer confidence index at lowest since 2014
Heather Long highlights that the Conference Board's Consumer Confidence Index has dropped to its lowest level since early 2014. According to Long, this means confidence among Americans is now ...
10-year bond yield jumps above 5.2 percent, Heather Long notes
Heather Long highlights that the yield on the 10-year bond rose above 5.2 percent today, reaching a level not seen since summer 2007. According to Long, while Wall Street may be comfortable with ...
Heather Long: Inflation erases U.S. wage gains despite 3.1% growth
Heather Long highlights the financial challenges facing Americans as inflation has wiped out wage gains since April. According to Long, wage growth over the past year was 3.1%, while inflation ...
U.S. job growth in August surpasses expectations, Heather Long notes
Heather Long reports that the U.S. jobs report for August delivered strong results, with 162,000 jobs added—three times the expected 55,000. July's jobs increase was revised up to 21,000 from ...
Heather Long: Fed Governor Chris Waller inclined to keep interest rates steady in September
Heather Long reports that Federal Reserve Governor Chris Waller, considered a key swing voter on policy decisions, is currently inclined to maintain interest rates at their current level in ...
Yellen remains flexible on interest rates, Heather Long notes
Heather Long reports that Janet Yellen advocates a wait-and-see approach regarding U.S. interest rates. Yellen stated that she would watch the situation for a while, keep an open mind, and be ...
Heather Long: 30-year U.S. bond yield returns to 5.25 percent
Heather Long highlights that the 30-year U.S. bond yield has climbed back to 5.25 percent, erasing around 66 percent of Treasury Secretary Bessent's intervention on Wednesday. She points to ...
Used car buyers get older models with more miles for same budget, Heather Long notes
Heather Long highlights how used car buyers are getting less value for their money compared to 2019. A budget of $15,000 to $20,000 in 2019 was enough to buy a 3.4 year-old vehicle with about ...
Heather Long: Inflation cooled to 3.4% in July as gas prices present risk
Heather Long reports that inflation eased slightly in July, with the Consumer Price Index registering a 3.4 percent increase compared to 3.5 percent in June and 4.2 percent in May. She cautions ...
U.S. job losses reached 23,000 in July, Heather Long reports
Heather Long reports a sharp downturn in the U.S. job market, noting that the economy lost 23,000 jobs in July, far below expectations of an 80,000 gain. She adds that previous job growth numbers ...
Heather Long: Federal Reserve keeps interest rates unchanged as three dissenters push for hike
Heather Long reports that the Federal Reserve has decided to keep its benchmark interest rate unchanged at 3.5 to 3.75%, where it has remained since December. According to Long, the decision was ...
30-year yield stays above 5 percent for longest stretch since 2007, Heather Long warns
Heather Long highlights that the bond market is showing signs of strain. She notes the 30-year yield has remained above 5 percent for its longest period since 2007, while the 10-year yield is ...
Heather Long: Americans face sharp grocery price shock in past 5 years
Heather Long highlights that Americans are experiencing significant frustration with grocery prices. She explains this is mainly due to a sharp increase in prices—over 25 percent in the past 5 ...
