The KUIK Morning Market Report for Thursday, March 9:
Markets are up.
Index
Direction
Change
Units
Time
Dow
Up
32
points
20,887
7:08 AM
S&P500
Up
0.2%
percent
2,368
Nasdaq Composite
Up
0.2%
percent
5,850
30 Year Treasury
Up
2
Basis Points
3.17
Annual Yield
The Labor Department reports new applications for unemployment benefits last week rose by 20,000 to 243,000. Economists expected 238,000. Continuing claims fell by 6,000 to 2.06 million in the week ended Feb. 25.
The Commerce Department reports the import price index rose 0.2% in February and that could be another reason for the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates as early as next week. The increase in import prices was mostly due to higher costs of industrial supplies and materials as well consumer goods such as food and clothing. Import prices minus fuel jumped 0.3%, for the biggest gain since last summer. Over the past year, import prices have climbed 4.6%, for the biggest 12-month gain since early 2012. The price of goods exported by the U.S. to other nations rose by 0.3% in February, and have climbed 3.1% over the past year.
The American Society of Civil Engineers in a report released today ave given the country’s bridges, roads, airports and other facilities a D+, the same as four years ago. They call for $4.6 trillion in investments in infrastructure in the next decade, but estimate a $2 trillion dollar shortfall.
Serving the West Side first, I am Bill Roller of BR Capital for 1360 KUIK.
