Transportation Economy News Updates

U.S. consumer sentiment unexpectedly surged to a 13-year high as Americans’ perceptions of the economy and their own finances rebounded following several major hurricanes, a University of Michigan survey showed Oct. 13.

U.S. inflation excluding food and fuel was below estimates for the sixth time in seven months, even as a hurricane-driven spike in energy prices boosted the overall cost of living by the most since January, a Labor Department report showed Oct. 13.

U.S. retail sales jumped last month by the most in more than two years as motor vehicles lost to hurricanes were quickly replaced and higher prices lifted receipts at gasoline stations, Commerce Department figures showed Oct. 13.

The number of workers on U.S. payrolls declined last month for the first time since 2010, reflecting major disruptions from hurricanes Harvey and Irma, Labor Department figures showed Oct. 6. The jobless rate fell to a new 16-year-low while wage gains accelerated.

Americans’ confidence suffered its biggest weekly setback in more than a year as optimism about personal finances slumped, Bloomberg Consumer Comfort Index figures showed Oct. 5.

U.S. filings for unemployment benefits fell last week as the impact of hurricanes Harvey and Irma faded in several states, Labor Department figures showed Oct. 5.

Improving global demand and a weaker dollar are helping boost U.S. exports, with the trade deficit narrowing to an 11-month low in August, Commerce Department data showed Oct. 5.

America’s service industries expanded in September at the fastest clip in 12 years, signaling vibrancy across the bulk of the economy following two major hurricanes, a survey from the Institute for Supply Management showed Oct. 4.

Companies last month added the fewest number of workers in nearly a year, reflecting a hit to the U.S. job market from hurricanes Harvey and Irma, according to data released Oct. 4 from the ADP Research Institute in Roseland, New Jersey.

Concern over the fallout from a pair of late-summer hurricanes caused U.S. consumer sentiment to dip in September, though Americans remain relatively optimistic about the direction of the economy, a University of Michigan survey showed Sept. 29.