The Commerce Department reports import prices for December rose 0.1%. Taking out the cost of energy, prices fell 0.1%. They were up 3% for all of 2017, which was the biggest gain in six years. It followed a 1.9% gain for 2016. Export prices fell 0.1%. They rose 2.6% for all of 2017.
The Labor Department reports initial claims for unemployment benefits rose by 3,000 to 250,000 in the week ended December 30. Economists expected only 240,000. Continuing claims, fell by 37,000 to 1.91 million the week before.
A report today from TD Ameritrade says 41% of divorced Gen Xers and 29% of Boomers say they got divorced due to disagreements about money. And if you’re arguing about money early on in your relationship, watch out. That may be the No. 1 predictor of whether or not you’ll end up divorced, according to a study of more than 4,500 couples published in the journal Family Relationships.
Serving the West Side first, I am Bill Roller of BR Capital for 1360 KUIK.
