Joseph Abate

Manufacturing activity in the region appears to have cooled off. We suspect it will be another month or two before read more

Manufacturing activity in the region appears to have cooled off. We suspect it will be another month or two before auto manufacturers start ramping up production to replenish sales-depleted inventories.

With corporate balance sheets and cash flow strong, we look for investment spending to remain strong, pushing up growth in read more

With corporate balance sheets and cash flow strong, we look for investment spending to remain strong, pushing up growth in the capital stock and adding to labor productivity growth in 2006.

With little excess capacity left in the labor market, we expect continued upward pressure on wages.

With little excess capacity left in the labor market, we expect continued upward pressure on wages.

The fact that households are saving so little, even with strong growth in personal income, is a potentially troubling development.

The fact that households are saving so little, even with strong growth in personal income, is a potentially troubling development.

On net, we'll see some damage and a hit to corporate profits and proprietors' income, but that effect is temporary. read more

On net, we'll see some damage and a hit to corporate profits and proprietors' income, but that effect is temporary. But in the next quarter, we will get some mild stimulus from the rebuilding. Certainly, it will have no major, permanent effect on the economy.