How Economic Data Revisions Work and Why Headline Numbers Change
Matt Hardy
Jobs, GDP and inflation figures are often revised after release. Learn why statistical agencies update their numbers and how investors can read early data wisely.
Economic Data
ISM Manufacturing at 54.5: Growth Continues, but Input Prices Surge to 77.9
The ISM manufacturing PMI held at 54.5 in September, a ninth straight month of expansion, while the prices index jumped to 77.9. Here is what the survey says about factory…
Consumer Sentiment Slips to 46.3 in October as Cost-of-Living Worries Mount
The University of Michigan's preliminary October sentiment index fell to 46.3 as current conditions dropped sharply and inflation expectations edged up. Here is what the survey shows and what to…
September Retail Sales Jump 0.8%, but Gas Prices Flatter the Headline
US retail sales rose 0.8% in September, well above the 0.3% economists expected, but sales excluding gas stations rose only 0.2%. Here is how to read the report, and why…
September Jobs Report: Hiring Slows to 29,000 as Unemployment Rises to 4.2%
US employers added just 29,000 jobs in September while unemployment rose to 4.2%, and July and August were revised down by 60,000. Here is what the BLS data shows about…
This Week’s Key Data: Durable Goods Orders as a Window Into Business Investment
This week's calendar brings Durable Goods Orders, Housing Starts, and Jobless Claims — with durable goods offering a genuine forward-looking read on business investment that lagging indicators can't provide. Here's…
Jobless Claims Hold Near Multi-Decade Lows as Housing Starts Rebound
Jobless claims held near a 60-year low while housing starts were set to rebound from a weak July, offering a genuinely mixed but resilient economic data picture heading into the…
PPI Today, CPI Tomorrow: The Last Inflation Data Before the Fed’s Big Decision
PPI lands today and CPI tomorrow — the last inflation data before the Fed's September 16 decision, with markets pricing a genuine coin-flip on a rate hike. Here's what's at…
US Retail Sales Fell 0.6% in July: A Cooling Consumer or a Prime Day Timing Quirk?
US retail sales fell 0.6% in July 2026, but a Prime Day calendar shift explains much of the drop — sales were still up 5% year-over-year. Here's what the data…
Mortgage Rates Just Hit 6.71%—What Does That Mean for Home Buyers in 2026?
Summary:The average U.S. 30-year fixed mortgage rate reached 6.71% on September 3, 2026, up from 6.66% a week earlier. For buyers, the increase means higher monthly principal-and-interest payments and less…