Tag Archives: economics

For years, private label has been viewed primarily as a margin play. Across the independent home improvement channel, retailers consistently point to higher margins and price competitiveness as the primary reasons for carrying private label products. In many stores, private …

Among economic headwinds, global conflict and elevated inflation, financial results for the first quarter of 2026 were across the board for top names in the corporate retail world. A majority of companies reported positive results in the quarter, demonstrating resilience …

Residential building material price growth accelerated in February after slowing a month prior, according to the latest Producer Price Index release from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The Producer Price Index for final demand increased 0.7% in February, a …

Market Measure Evolution As you dive into this year’s Market Measure report, things might look a bit different than they have in the past, particularly when you browse the size of market numbers and the market breakdown.  The numbers themselves …

The unemployment rate rose to its four-year high of 4.6%, up from 4.4% year over year, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Positively, employers added 64,000 jobs in November. Household survey data for October 2025 were not collected …

Retail sales saw strong year-over-year growth in November, with the first half of the month posting results on track to meet the National Retail Federation’s spending forecast, according to the CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor. “Retail sales showed healthy year-over-year gains in November …

The Federal Reserve cut interest rates by a vote of 9-3, a smaller margin than typically seen. The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC), the panel of Federal Reserve officials responsible for setting monetary policies, dropped the interest rate range to …

West Fraser Timber Co. Ltd. recently announced it will permanently close its Augusta, Georgia, and 100 Mile House, British Columbia, lumber mills by the end of 2025 following an orderly wind-down.  The decision is in response to timber supply challenges …