Podcasts about commerce department

The 5 things you need to know before the stock market opens today: Chevron has prevailed in its mediation with Exxon over oil assets in Guyana, Federal Reserve Chair Jay Powell has officially responded to White House concerns about Fed building renovations, Amazon is laying off some cloud computing staffers, and the Commerce Department will impose anti-dumping duties on graphite imported from China and used in EVs.  Squawk Box is hosted by Joe Kernen, Becky Quick and Andrew Ross Sorkin.  Follow Squawk Pod for the best moments, interviews and analysis from our TV show in an audio-first format. 

Kevin covers the following stories: the U.S. Labor Department released the Weekly Jobless Claims Report; the U.S. Commerce Department released the June Retail Sales report; the Federal Reserve's periodic evaluation of the economy, known as the Biege Book, was released; the National Association of Home Builders released their Monthly Builder Confidence Survey; Trump announces a major agreement with  Coca-Cola and all that is affecting oil and gas prices. Kevin has the details, digs into the data, offers his insights, puts the information into historic perspective and offers an opinion or two. 

This episode of Plain Talk is a little unusual, because the guest we interviewed for the show is actually our own producer, Matt Fern. Matt, in addition to producing Plain Talk, is also a filmmaker by trade. A couple of years ago he organized a dozens of his colleagues from around the state to object to hundreds of thousands of dollars in film grants being issued by the North Dakota Department of Commerce under former Gov. Doug Burgum by untoward means. The Commerce Department ran an odd, extremely truncated bidding process for a grant that, per evidence from the legislative record, was always intended to go to a specific Bismarck-based company that, two years later, still hasn't released the films the state paid for. And this wasn't the first time something like this had happened, either. "Our group of filmmakers did speak out two years ago because we saw this coming because this already happened twice, with $100,000 in 2021 with nothing to show for it, and very little to show for $40,000 in 2017," Matt told us. Matt has produced his own podcast about these called "The $740,000 Question." It's available on YouTube, with the first episode available today, and subsequent episodes to be released in the coming weeks. Why does this story matter? While $740,000 is a lot of money from a personal perspective, it's not much in terms of North Dakota's overall appropriations. Also, North Dakota's film industry isn't exactly large. So why should you care? Because this is a window into how our state government sometimes does business, and it doesn't paint a pretty picture. Also on this episode, co-host Chad Oban and I discuss Sen. John Hoeven's interesting maneuvering about the "Big Beautiful Bill" and Trump administration spending decisions, as well as the chaos around the Donald Trump/Jeffrey Epstein situation. If you want to participate in Plain Talk, just give us a call or text at 701-587-3141. It's super easy — leave your message, tell us your name and where you're from, and we might feature it on an upcoming episode. To subscribe to Plain Talk, search for the show wherever you get your podcasts or use one of the links below. Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket Casts | Episode Archive

Kevin covers the following stories: the U.S. Labor Department released the Weekly Jobless Claims Report; the U.S. Commerce Department released the June Retail Sales report; the Federal Reserve's periodic evaluation of the economy, known as the Biege Book, was released; the National Association of Home Builders released their Monthly Builder Confidence Survey; Trump announces a major agreement with  Coca-Cola and all that is affecting oil and gas prices. Kevin has the details, digs into the data, offers his insights, puts the information into historic perspective and offers an opinion or two. 

Send us a text00:00 Brought to You By Quantra Quartz00:22 Intro00:32 India Tile Tariff Court Complaint02:32 A Word from Quantra03:44 McDermott Top Shop Turns 3005:26 Florim Opens L.A. Showroom06:43 Texas Counter Fitters to Distribute Radianz07:42 BB Industries Adds Four Outside Reps09:04 Cersaie Show Floor Sells Out10:26 Marmomac Features Theme Speakers12:58 ParkFest to Return October 1-213:38 Outro14:05 Brought to You By Quantra QuartzRadio Stone Update is presented on the second and fourth Wednesdays every month at 9 a.m. everywhere on Earth with the latest news and insights in hard surfaces. Check our archives at www.radiostoneupdate.com.

On today's podcast: 1) President Trump twists arms in Congress to pass his tax cut bill as House Republicans overcome a key hurdle. The House voted 219-213 to move toward a final vote on Trump's "big beautiful bill", which includes tax cuts, a phase-out of Biden-era clean energy incentives, and funding for Trump's crackdown on illegal immigration. Debate began immediately on the legislation, setting up a potential final vote for later in the morning in Washington, ahead of Trump's self-imposed July 4 deadline.2) Traders and the Fed await a critical June jobs report. Markets are cautious ahead of the employment report, which will help identify the path ahead for interest rates, with investors closely monitoring economic data before adding to their portfolios.3) The Trump administration lifts chip design software curbs in a trade deal with China. The Commerce Department informed the world's three leading chip design software providers that they no longer need government licenses to do business in China.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kevin reviews and summarizes some of the recent economic news, trade deals coming together and how this will affect the trucking industry. More and more evidence is mounting regarding tariffs and inflation. The "Big Beautiful Bill" has passed; Kevin talks about some of the details, especially involving the so-called clean energy credits from Biden's Inflation Reduction Act and how effective they have been. The U.S. Commerce Department's Census Bureau released the construction spending, Wards Intelligence released May Class 8 retail sales, The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics released the May Job Openings and Labor Turnover: Kevin has the details and offers his insights. Kevin talks about the economic, political, geopolitical, supply and demand events affecting oil and gas prices.

Kevin reviews and summarizes some of the recent economic news, trade deals coming together and how this will affect the trucking industry. More and more evidence is mounting regarding tariffs and inflation. The "Big Beautiful Bill" has passed; Kevin talks about some of the details, especially involving the so-called clean energy credits from Biden's Inflation Reduction Act and how effective they have been. The U.S. Commerce Department's Census Bureau released the construction spending, Wards Intelligence released May Class 8 retail sales, The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics released the May Job Openings and Labor Turnover: Kevin has the details and offers his insights. Kevin talks about the economic, political, geopolitical, supply and demand events affecting oil and gas prices.

Kevin summarizes the historic events from last week, from eliminating a nuclear threat, a ceasefire, a peace treaty, Supreme Court decisions and much, much more; Kevin has the details. The University of Michigan released their final June Consumer Sentiment Index; Kevin has the details and offers his insights. Kevin speaks with Lewie Pugh, Executive Vice President Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) about major announcements from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration that will benefit drivers. U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis released Personal Income Data; Kevin offers his insights and puts the information into preservative. The U.S. Commerce Department released the Personal Consumption Expenditures Price Index; Kevin has the details.

The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis released the 3rd estimate of 1st Quarter GDP; the U.S. Commerce Department's Census Bureau released the Orders for Durable Goods Report; the U.S. Labor Department released the Weekly Jobless Claims; Kevin has the details, digs into the data, offers his insights and puts the information into historic perspective. Phil Flynn, Senior Market Analyst Price Futures Group & Author of The Energy Report, as well as Contributor to FOX Business Network, joins Kevin to talk about a wide range of topics from Malaysian oil laundering, crude oil supply and demand, the need for interest rate cuts, through media bias by downplaying good economic news. Oil and gas prices react to switching focus from risk premiums to fundamentals, U.S. "driving season is in full swing," a weaker dollar, larger than expected draws on crude oil inventories and the ceasefire between Iran and Israel. The first named tropical storm of the hurricane season has been announced; Kevin has the details.

Kevin summarizes the historic events from last week, from eliminating a nuclear threat, a ceasefire, a peace treaty, Supreme Court decisions and much, much more; Kevin has the details. The University of Michigan released their final June Consumer Sentiment Index; Kevin has the details and offers his insights. Kevin speaks with Lewie Pugh, Executive Vice President Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) about major announcements from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration that will benefit drivers. U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis released Personal Income Data; Kevin offers his insights and puts the information into preservative. The U.S. Commerce Department released the Personal Consumption Expenditures Price Index; Kevin has the details.

The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis released the 3rd estimate of 1st Quarter GDP; the U.S. Commerce Department's Census Bureau released the Orders for Durable Goods Report; the U.S. Labor Department released the Weekly Jobless Claims; Kevin has the details, digs into the data, offers his insights and puts the information into historic perspective. Phil Flynn, Senior Market Analyst Price Futures Group & Author of The Energy Report, as well as Contributor to FOX Business Network, joins Kevin to talk about a wide range of topics from Malaysian oil laundering, crude oil supply and demand, the need for interest rate cuts, through media bias by downplaying good economic news. Oil and gas prices react to switching focus from risk premiums to fundamentals, U.S. "driving season is in full swing," a weaker dollar, larger than expected draws on crude oil inventories and the ceasefire between Iran and Israel. The first named tropical storm of the hurricane season has been announced; Kevin has the details.

The Federal Reserve and its Chairman Jay Powell, the only thing standing between the American People and economic ruin under the disastrous Trump presidency, has refused to obey Trump and ignore Trump's policies, which have sent the economy into a tailspin marked by high inflation, low job creation, and almost non-existent economic growth. The Fed just decided to ignore Trump and not cut interest rates, as it observes the suffering of American consumers under Trump. Michael Popok puts on his Wall Street hat again to also examine a little covered comment, that Powell is also worried that Trump is “cooking the books” and undermining proper statistical reporting coming out of the Commerce Department ,which the Fed needs to set policy. Over 2 million butts love TUSHY. Get 10% off Tushy with the code LEGALAF at https://hellotushy.com/LEGALAF! #tushypod Remember to subscribe to ALL the MeidasTouch Network Podcasts: MeidasTouch: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/meidastouch-podcast Legal AF: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/legal-af MissTrial: https://meidasnews.com/tag/miss-trial The PoliticsGirl Podcast: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/the-politicsgirl-podcast The Influence Continuum: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/the-influence-continuum-with-dr-steven-hassan Mea Culpa with Michael Cohen: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/mea-culpa-with-michael-cohen The Weekend Show: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/the-weekend-show Burn the Boats: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/burn-the-boats Majority 54: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/majority-54 Political Beatdown: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/political-beatdown On Democracy with FP Wellman: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/on-democracy-with-fpwellman Uncovered: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/maga-uncovered Coalition of the Sane: https://meidasnews.com/tag/coalition-of-the-sane Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Federal Reserve Chairman, Jerome Powell, announced the decision to maintain a wait and see approach on the economy and left the interest rate unchanged; Kevin has the details, offers his insights and opinion on the decision. Kevin explains how the Fed's policy to keep interest rates high, affects credit card interest rates, business loans and home loans. The Atlanta Fed reported the GDPNow forecasting model; Kevin has the information and discusses the data. The U.S. Commerce Department released single family home starts, overall housing starts and new building permits; Kevin has the details, puts the information in perspective and offers his insights. The U.S. Labor Department released the Initial Jobless Claims Report; Kevin has the details, clarifies the data, offers his insights and opinion. Oil and gas prices react to possible U.S. involvement in the Israel - Iran conflict, possible disruption in the Strait of Hormuz, EIA data on U.S. crude oil inventories and comments from Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell.

The Federal Reserve Chairman, Jerome Powell, announced the decision to maintain a wait and see approach on the economy and left the interest rate unchanged; Kevin has the details, offers his insights and opinion on the decision. Kevin explains how the Fed's policy to keep interest rates high, affects credit card interest rates, business loans and home loans. The Atlanta Fed reported the GDPNow forecasting model; Kevin has the information and discusses the data. The U.S. Commerce Department released single family home starts, overall housing starts and new building permits; Kevin has the details, puts the information in perspective and offers his insights. The U.S. Labor Department released the Initial Jobless Claims Report; Kevin has the details, clarifies the data, offers his insights and opinion. Oil and gas prices react to possible U.S. involvement in the Israel - Iran conflict, possible disruption in the Strait of Hormuz, EIA data on U.S. crude oil inventories and comments from Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell.

The U.S. Commerce Department released the May Retail Sales Report; Kevin discusses the details and offers his insights. President Trump accomplished something no other President has ever done and he just did it again; Kevin reveals the details. GM's quickest sports car ever built; Kevin discusses this. President Trump and U.K. Prime Minster Starmer reached a trade agreement; Kevin explains, reviews the details and offers his insights. Estes Express Lines announced that they are increasing its terminal capacity; Kevin has the details and the cities involved. Oil and gas prices react to the International Energy Agency's global oil supply forecast, geopolitical events, potential production and supply route disruptions.

The U.S. Commerce Department released the May Retail Sales Report; Kevin discusses the details and offers his insights. President Trump accomplished something no other President has ever done and he just did it again; Kevin reveals the details. GM's quickest sports car ever built; Kevin discusses this. President Trump and U.K. Prime Minster Starmer reached a trade agreement; Kevin explains, reviews the details and offers his insights. Estes Express Lines announced that they are increasing its terminal capacity; Kevin has the details and the cities involved. Oil and gas prices react to the International Energy Agency's global oil supply forecast, geopolitical events, potential production and supply route disruptions.

We start out today taking a look at the latest retail sales numbers shared by the Commerce Department and what they tell us you are doing...or not doing.  This is the Business News Headlines for Tuesday the 17th day of June, thanks for being here.  in other news, the Trump Tax bill will add trillions to the deficit. An Illinois toy company is challenging the Trump Tariffs and went before the Supreme Court today.  The Central Bank meets this week and what might they do with regard to interest rates?  We'll share what we know. We'll take a look at what happened on Wall Street in the Wall Street Report and have you heard of the infinite workday?  You will today…let's go! Thanks for listening! The award winning Insight on Business the News Hour with Michael Libbie is the only weekday business news podcast in the Midwest. The national, regional and some local business news along with long-form business interviews can be heard Monday - Friday. You can subscribe on  PlayerFM, Podbean, iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher or TuneIn Radio. And you can catch The Business News Hour Week in Review each Sunday Noon Central on News/Talk 1540 KXEL. The Business News Hour is a production of Insight Advertising, Marketing & Communications. You can follow us on Twitter @IoB_NewsHour...and on Threads @Insight_On_Business.

The Commerce Department dropped health insurance coverage for some recently fired employees sooner than promised, according to the top Democrat on the House Oversight and Reform Committee. Acting Ranking Member Stephen Lynch says Commerce fired about 800 probationary employees under the Trump administration, and that some of them lost health coverage on April 8, days before they were officially fired. Commerce employees were briefly reinstated under a federal judge's order. But an appeals court allowed the firings to remain in effect. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The latest Atlanta Fed GDPNow growth estimate for the 2nd quarter has been released; Kevin has the details and offers his insights. Additionally, the Atlanta Fed further explained the reason for the negative growth in the 1st quarter and put it into perspective. The U.S. Commerce Department's Census Bureau reported new orders for manufactured goods: Kevin digs through the data, which sectors are up or down and offers his insights. The Institute for Supply Management's manufacturing index was released on Tuesday; Kevin discusses the data and puts the data into historic perspective. Also on Tuesday, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey was released; Kevin discusses the data and the whether the job market is strengthening or weakening. Oil and gas prices react to Russia and Ukraine "settlement" discussions, Iran's rejection of the U.S. nuclear proposal, Canadian willdfires interrupting crude oil production and a possible interest rate cut.

The latest Atlanta Fed GDPNow growth estimate for the 2nd quarter has been released; Kevin has the details and offers his insights. Additionally, the Atlanta Fed further explained the reason for the negative growth in the 1st quarter and put it into perspective. The U.S. Commerce Department's Census Bureau reported new orders for manufactured goods: Kevin digs through the data, which sectors are up or down and offers his insights. The Institute for Supply Management's manufacturing index was released on Tuesday; Kevin discusses the data and puts the data into historic perspective. Also on Tuesday, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey was released; Kevin discusses the data and the whether the job market is strengthening or weakening. Oil and gas prices react to Russia and Ukraine "settlement" discussions, Iran's rejection of the U.S. nuclear proposal, Canadian willdfires interrupting crude oil production and a possible interest rate cut.

The U.S. Commerce Department released the Personal Consumption Expenditures Price Index and the Core Inflation Index, the Federal Reserve's key inflation measure; Kevin has the details, discusses the data and offers his perspective. Also released on Friday, Consumer Spending and Personal Income reports; Kevin digs into the numbers and offers his perspective. A business news network commits journalism regarding Tariffs and Inflation. States are increasing fuel taxes: Kevin points out how this will affect nationwide gas price averages and energy cost inflation. Kevin has the news, geopolitical factors, wildfires and OPEC+'s crude oil production plans are affecting oil and gas prices.

The U.S. Commerce Department released the Personal Consumption Expenditures Price Index and the Core Inflation Index, the Federal Reserve's key inflation measure; Kevin has the details, discusses the data and offers his perspective. Also released on Friday, Consumer Spending and Personal Income reports; Kevin digs into the numbers and offers his perspective. A business news network commits journalism regarding Tariffs and Inflation. States are increasing fuel taxes: Kevin points out how this will affect nationwide gas price averages and energy cost inflation. Kevin has the news, geopolitical factors, wildfires and OPEC+'s crude oil production plans are affecting oil and gas prices.

The Conference Board's Consumer Confidence Index for May was released on Tuesday; Kevin has the details, discusses the information and offers his insights and perspective. The U.S. Commerce Department released the April Durable Goods Orders report: Kevin sorts through the data, explains the information and puts it into perspective. Americas Commercial Transportation Research Company and the Freight Transportation Research Associates Transportation Intelligence reported their respective April Class 8 Truck Orders numbers; Kevin discusses the results. Wards Intelligence reported April Class 8 Truck Sales; Kevin has the details. Oil and gas prices react to strong gasoline demand over the Memorial Day holiday, Russia's increased missile and drone attacks on Ukraine, the German Chancellor's an escalation, encouraging Ukrainian attacks deep into Russia and OPEC+'s anticipated announcement of crude oil output hike later this week.

The Conference Board's Consumer Confidence Index for May was released on Tuesday; Kevin has the details, discusses the information and offers his insights and perspective. The U.S. Commerce Department released the April Durable Goods Orders report: Kevin sorts through the data, explains the information and puts it into perspective. Americas Commercial Transportation Research Company and the Freight Transportation Research Associates Transportation Intelligence reported their respective April Class 8 Truck Orders numbers; Kevin discusses the results. Wards Intelligence reported April Class 8 Truck Sales; Kevin has the details. Oil and gas prices react to strong gasoline demand over the Memorial Day holiday, Russia's increased missile and drone attacks on Ukraine, the German Chancellor's an escalation, encouraging Ukrainian attacks deep into Russia and OPEC+'s anticipated announcement of crude oil output hike later this week.

On Friday, the U.S. Commerce Department released the April New Home Sales Report; Kevin has the details, offers his insights and adds an historic perspective to the report. Kevin makes the case that it is time for the Federal Reserve to lower interest rates by taking a look at how an average home price is affected by different interest rates. Also, using a $110,000 annual income, Kevin takes a look at how much home can be purchased at different interest rates. The Federal Reserve is supposed to be non-political, however, this past Sunday, Fed Chairman Jerome Powell spoke to graduates at Princeton University; Kevin has the details, was it non-political? Oil prices remained stable during subdued holiday trading. 

On Friday, the U.S. Commerce Department released the April New Home Sales Report; Kevin has the details, offers his insights and adds an historic perspective to the report. Kevin makes the case that it is time for the Federal Reserve to lower interest rates by taking a look at how an average home price is affected by different interest rates. Also, using a $110,000 annual income, Kevin takes a look at how much home can be purchased at different interest rates. The Federal Reserve is supposed to be non-political, however, this past Sunday, Fed Chairman Jerome Powell spoke to graduates at Princeton University; Kevin has the details, was it non-political? Oil prices remained stable during subdued holiday trading. 

On May 12th, the Bureau of Industry and Security under the U.S. Commerce Department issued “guidance", stating that using Huawei's most advanced AI chips "anywhere in the world" may violate U.S. export controls. China immediately condemned the move, vowing to take resolute measures to protect the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies. Days later, the U.S. removed the line about "anywhere in the world," but still warns "all persons and companies in the U.S. and abroad" against using "PRC-produced" advanced chips. What does this latest "land grab" mean for businesses and the AI sector around the world? Will it succeed in containing China's development or has that train already left the station? How can companies respond to Washington's latest threats and intimidation?

On today's program, sponsored by Elbit America, Dr. Bill Greenwalt, a former Pentagon industrial affairs chief who is now with the American Enterprise Institute and the Silicon Valley Defense Group, joins Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss the problems with the US export control system and how the International Traffic in Arms Regulation should be updated; industrial impact if allies and partners shy away from purchasing US products that have long been market-leading thanks to quality, competitive pricing and security guarantees from Washington; the role lawmakers can play in reforming a system that became steadily more risk averse over the decades because of increasingly stringent congressional oversight; the outlook for AUKUS; and the logic of the Commerce Department 232 investigation on the national security implications of commercial aircraft, parts and jet engine sales.

On today's show Andrew and Bill begin with the Commerce Department's guidance on Ascend Chips, caustic responses to that policy on the PRC side, citations to the "Geneva Consensus," and the news the U.S. will be partnering with Saudi Arabia and the UAE on AI investments in a move that may limit PRC influence in the region. From there: Reactions to a New York Times op-ed about divergent policy trajectories for the US and China, comments from Ding Xuexiang on accelerating technological self-reliance, and questions about the US retaining and recruiting global talent. At the end: Rogue communication devices are reportedly found in Chinese solar power inverters, and a word about diamonds.

The credit rating service, Moody's, changed the U.S. sovereign credit rating; Kevin sorts through the data, offers his insights and puts the information into perspective. The University of Michigan released its preliminary Consumer Sentiment Index; Kevin discusses this report, the implications and offers his opinion. The U.S. Commerce Department released the Housing Starts, as well as, Residential Permits (Building Permits) reports; Kevin puts the data into perspective and offers his insights. 

The credit rating service, Moody's, changed the U.S. sovereign credit rating; Kevin sorts through the data, offers his insights and puts the information into perspective. The University of Michigan released its preliminary Consumer Sentiment Index; Kevin discusses this report, the implications and offers his opinion. The U.S. Commerce Department released the Housing Starts, as well as, Residential Permits (Building Permits) reports; Kevin puts the data into perspective and offers his insights. 

Advisors on This Week's Show Kyle Tetting Dave Sandstrom Kendall Bauer (with Max Hoelzl and Joel Dresang engineered by Jason Scuglik) Week in Review (May 12-16, 2025) Significant Economic Indicators & Reports Monday No major announcements Tuesday Broad inflation slowed in April to its lowest point in more than four years. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that its Consumer Price Index rose 2.3% from April 2024, still outpacing the Fed's 2% target but down from a four-decade high of 9.1% in mid-2022. Shelter costs c0ntributed more than half of the month's increase while grocery prices fell the most since mid-2020. Egg prices dropped nearly 13% from March but were 49% more expensive than they were in April 2024. The 2.3% year-to-year inflation rate was the lowest since February 2021. Excluding volatile costs for food and energy, the core CPI rose 2.8% from the same time last year, the same pace as in March. Wednesday No major announcements Thursday Inflation on the wholesale level registered a 2.4% annual increase in April, slowing for the third month in a row. The Producer Price Index was down 0.5% from March, the first decline in 16 months and the most since April 2020. The Bureau of Labor Statistics said the index shrank mostly because of lower prices for services, led by margins for machinery and vehicle wholesaling. The core rate of wholesale inflation, stripping out volatile prices for food, energy and trade services, sank 0.1% for the month and was up 2.9% from April 2024. Retail sales slowed in April, though consumers kept spending, according to a report by the Commerce Department. Advanced sales by retailers and food services rose 0.1% from March. Among 13 major categories, five increased sales from the month before, including bars and restaurants. Sales at supermarkets and liquor stores were unchanged. Car dealers and gas stations were among the outlets where sales declined. Adjusted for inflation, retail sales fell 0.2% in April. Economists follow store signs as an indication of consumer spending, which drives two-thirds of the U.S. economy. The four-week moving average for initial unemployment claims rose for the third week in a row, rising to its highest level since October. The measure of employer willingness to let workers go was 36% below the 58-year average, suggesting a continued tight labor market. According to Labor Department data, total jobless claims fell 3% from the week before to just under 1.9 million applications, which was nearly 6% higher than the year before, The Federal Reserve said its industrial production index was unchanged in April, though 1.5% above where it stood the year before. Lower output from manufacturing and mining was offset by increased production by utilities following an unseasonably warm March. Factories produced 0.4% less than March and were up 1.2% from April 2024. Industry's capacity utilization rate fell marginally to 77.7%, staying below the 52-year average of 79.6%. Seen as an early indicator of inflation, the capacity rate has been safely under the long-range average since late 2022. Friday Housing construction in April stayed in a relatively narrow band that has accompanied higher interest rates since mid-2022. A Commerce Department report on building permits and housing starts showed the indicators on par with levels in early 2007, just before the Great Recession. The number of houses under construction has been declining since late 2023 but remained near the housing boom peak of 2006. Economists have blamed a lack of inventory for years of escalating housing prices. The University of Michigan said consumer sentiment sank slightly from the end of April following four months of sharp declines. Since January, sentiment was down nearly 30%. More consumers spontaneously mentioned tariff uncertainty as reasons for angst for the economy and their personal finances.

S&P futures are pointing to a flat open, up 0.1%. European equity markets are mostly weaker, with the STOXX 600 down 0.2%. Asian equities had a mixed session, with the Hang Seng rebounding sharply, while Japan and Australia saw losses. The U.S. Commerce Department announced a revision of AI chip export rules, rescinding regulations that were set to take effect in May due to concerns over stifling innovation, regulatory burdens, and strained diplomatic ties. Companies Mentioned: Tesla, TXO Partners

In this episode of Talking with One Voice, Paul Nathanson and Omar Nashashibi focus on  the release of the long-awaited reconciliation bill by the U.S. House of Representatives and discuss several key wins in the bill for small and medium-sized  U.S. manufacturers.  They also cover  trade deals with China and the United Kingdom and why companies may want to wait to participate in the “inclusion process” set up by the Commerce Department for the Section 232 steel and aluminum tariffs.

Since regaining independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, Estonia has been intentional about harnessing technology to build a transparent and efficient government. And today, thanks to the country's digital-first approach and the E-Estonia initiative for government services, 100 percent of its government services are provided digitally. At last month's AITalks, Estonian Ambaassador to the U.S. Kristjan Prikk touched on his nation's digital foundation, how that has set Estonia up for successful adoption of AI and what lessons the U.S. can learn from the world leader in digital government. As the internet becomes overrun with AI slop and public trust in artificial intelligence plummets, a bipartisan group of senators want to enlist the Commerce Department in an education operation about the emerging technology. The Artificial Intelligence Public Awareness and Education Campaign Act would require the Commerce secretary to oversee an initiative to provide Americans with information about the benefits of AI in their daily lives, as well as the risks the technology presents. Sen. Todd Young, R-Ind., a co-sponsor of the bill, said in a statement that “With the rapid increase of AI in our society, it is important that individuals can both clearly recognize the technology and understand how to maximize the use of it in their daily lives.” The campaign would detail the ubiquity of AI in everyday life and highlight its benefits, including for small business owners and in workforce opportunities with the federal government. It would also note the different ways in which various regions, economies and subpopulations may interact with the technology, while making clear “the rights of an individual under law with respect” to AI. The Office of Personnel Management abruptly canceled a sole-source contract for HR services from Workday on Friday, roughly a week after it was awarded. Despite its initial justification describing the agency's urgent need for services only Workday could provide, OPM clawed back the justification and terminated the $342,200 award “for convenience.” The agency didn't respond to FedScoop's request for comment for further information about why the contract was canceled, including whether it planned to hold a competition for the award or whether not having the services quickly would impact the agency's upcoming modernization deadlines. In its original justification, OPM said that the sole-source award — those made to a single company without a bidding process — was needed “due to an urgent confluence of operational failures and binding federal mandates that require immediate action.” The Daily Scoop Podcast is available every Monday-Friday afternoon. If you want to hear more of the latest from Washington, subscribe to The Daily Scoop Podcast  on Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud, Spotify and YouTube.

On this week's Defense & Aerospace Report Business Roundtable, sponsored by Bell, Dr. “Rocket” Ron Epstein of Bank of America Securities, Sash Tusa of the independent equity research firm Agency Partners, and Richard Aboulafia of the AeroDynamic advisory consultancy join host Vago Muradian to discuss an unusually quiet down week on Wall Street; India and Pakistan's military strikes and ceasefire; expectations as US and Chinese trade negotiators convene in Geneva after Washington strikes a preliminary deal with London to ease tariffs, a template, officials say, for future deals to put pressure on Beijing; IAG buys 53 new big jets from Boeing and Airbus for $10 billion; the Commerce Department's investigation into the national security implications of buying foreign-made aerospace components and jet engines; the German, French, Polish and British leaders' visit to Kyiv where they announced a 30-day ceasefire with Russia starting on Monday; the Army's decision to retire AH-64D Apache helicopters in the scout role as well as Grey Eagle and Shadow drones, and the GE's new T901 engine; Hensoldt, Leonard, MTU, Rheinmetall report earnings; takeaways from the Milken Institute Global Conference; and Stratolaunch's successful tests of its Talon-A2 reusable hypersonic test vehicle.

Jason Kander and Ravi Gupta break down the growing fears of a recession as Trump's first 100 days in office coincide with the U.S. economy contracting for the first time in years. They analyze the Commerce Department's latest report showing a 0.3% drop in GDP, the role Trump's tariff threats played in driving up imports, and why consumer spending is slowing. Kander and Gupta also discuss Fox News contributor Jessica Tarlov's viral moment, Trump's muddled messaging on the economy, and the chaotic Amazon tariff talks. Plus, they dissect Trump's bizarre interview on immigration, tourism, and Putin, and unpack how a tweet from Trump about annexing Canada after Trudeau's resignation fueled a political shift north of the border. This and more on the podcast that helps you, the majority of Americans who believe in progress, convince your conservative friends and family to join us—this is Majority 54! HIMS: Hims: Thanks to HIMS! Start your free online visit today at https://hims.com/majority for your personalized ED treatment options SHOPIFY: Shopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at https://SHOPIFY.com/majority INCGONI: Take your personal data back with Incogni! Get 60% off an annual plan at https://incogni.com/majority54 and use code MAJORITY54 at checkout. FATTY 15: Fatty15 is on a mission to optimize your C15 levels to help you live healthier, longer. You can get an additional 15% off their 90-day subscription Starter Kit by going to https://fatty15.com/MAJORITY and using code MAJORITY at checkout. Majority 54 is a MeidasTouch Network production. Theme music provided by Kemet Coleman. Special thanks to Diana Kander. Majority 54 on Twitter: https://twitter.com/majority54 Jason on Twitter: https://twitter.com/JasonKander Jason on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jasonkander/ Ravi on Twitter: https://twitter.com/RaviMGupta Ravi on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ravimgupta Ravi on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@LostDebate Remember to subscribe to ALL the MeidasTouch Network Podcasts: MeidasTouch: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/meidastouch-podcast Legal AF: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/legal-af MissTrial: https://meidasnews.com/tag/miss-trial The PoliticsGirl Podcast: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/the-politicsgirl-podcast The Influence Continuum: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/the-influence-continuum-with-dr-steven-hassan Mea Culpa with Michael Cohen: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/mea-culpa-with-michael-cohen The Weekend Show: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/the-weekend-show Burn the Boats: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/burn-the-boats Majority 54: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/majority-54 Political Beatdown: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/political-beatdown On Democracy with FP Wellman: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/on-democracy-with-fpwellman Uncovered: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/maga-uncovered Coalition of the Sane: https://meidasnews.com/tag/coalition-of-the-sane Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A car-buying frenzy, stoked by tariff fears, drove US consumer spending in March to its biggest monthly gain in more than two years, new data showed Wednesday. Consumer spending leapt 0.7% from February, according to a Commerce Department report that showed Americans shelled out last month for durable goods, particularly automobiles. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On Wednesday, the President reacted to news that U.S. economic growth slowed in the first quarter of this year, according to the Commerce Department. The data shows the U.S. economy contracted over the course of a few months, with Q1 gross domestic product (GDP) shrinking by 0.3 percent. FOX Business' The Big Money Show co-anchor Taylor Riggs says while this quarter of economic decline is a negative consequence of the President's tariff plans, it is not all bad news for America's economy. Riggs joins the Rundown to explain what falling GDP means, the emphasis on patience with the Trump economic agenda, and the trade deals to come. New York State Governor Kathy Hochul (D-NY) is expected to sign legislation banning cell phone use from "bell-to-bell" starting next school year. New York will join eight states implementing such restrictions on phone use in the classroom. Florida State Representative Demi Busatta (R-Coral Gables) joins to explain how the banning of phones in schools could bring about developmental and educational benefits for students and why she is advocating for tighter phone-use restrictions in the Sunshine State. Plus, commentary from host of FOX Across America and FOX News Saturday Night, Jimmy Failla. Photo Credit: AP Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Commerce Department reported the U.S. economy contracted by 0.3% in the first quarter of this year. We'll break down the GDP math formula and dig into what the latest report says about where the US economy may be headed. And, should businesses be transparent about the impact of tariffs on prices? A nixed plan from Amazon serves as a cautionary tale of the political risks. Plus, feeling stressed these days? Cow cuddling and bee therapy might help.Here's everything we talked about today:-"Trump blames Biden after GDP shrinks in first quarter, says growth will 'take a while'" from CNBC -"Businesses weigh how much to tell customers about tariffs' impact on price" from Marketplace-"Trump-Bezos call sets stage for tense earnings report from Amazon" from CNBC-"Trump vs. Amazon's Brilliant Tariff Idea" from The Wall Street Journal -"The Americans Fled Vietnam 50 Years Ago. I Visited the Buildings They Left Behind."  from The New York Times"Anxious about the world? Cow cuddling or bee buzzing might help ease your stress" from The Denver PostGot a question for the hosts? Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

Watch The X22 Report On Video No videos found Click On Picture To See Larger Picture The Spain, Portugal and France blackout caused by green energy. The [CB] will try to force empty shelves and try to convince the people that it's Trump, this will fail. Retailers have been preparing and other nations will fill the gap. The fake news is pushing a recession, the numbers tell another story. Banks will be obsolete. Think Andrew Jackson. The [DS] players are now being held accountable for election interference. This is just the beginning, the narrative will continue until Trump and team shows how they over-through the US Gov and duly elected President in 2020. Trump has the [DS] exactly where he wants them and they are getting weaker and weaker.   (function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:13499335648425062,size:[0, 0],id:"ld-7164-1323"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src="//cdn2.customads.co/_js/ajs.js";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,"script","ld-ajs"); Economy https://twitter.com/goddeketal/status/1917219854861451569 EU Admits It's Stuck Under US Tech Giants' Thumb  The European Union has admitted that it cannot break free from the dominance of US tech companies, Politico reported on Wednesday, citing the draft of the International Digital Strategy for Europe set to be released in June. Brussels has reportedly admitted that freeing itself from the dominance of US tech companies is unrealistic, and that "cooperation will remain significant across the technological value chain." EU states remain dependent on US tech companies, and US President Donald Trump's stance on Europe has the bloc fearing for its sovereignty in global technologies, including social media and cloud services. Another concern is linked to the ability of US law enforcement bodies to get access to data processed by Amazon, Microsoft and Google, the paper said. The draft of the strategy also signals that the EU has very few fresh ideas that may help Europe become an important player in the global technology field, the paper added. Source: sputnick.com https://twitter.com/SchmittNYC/status/1917224051191304619 BINGO – Longshoreman Union Announce Opposition to President Trump's Tariff Program   “The International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) unequivocally condemns the recent tariffs that the Trump administration has imposed.” [SOURCE] All these moves are so transparently political, it almost makes you laugh.  However, that said, we are now in a better position to understand exactly how the Democrats and Deep State operatives will weaponize the supply chain along with their union orcs. In the next phase of the anti-Trump tariff agenda, approximately 3 months from now it will begin, we will see/hear a constant drumbeat of empty shelves, missing parts and missing products.  Whether factually true, or whether the shortages are an outcome of a strategy by the ILWA to assist the shortage narrative, the overall objective will be to blame President Trump for everything from shortages of medicine to shortages of parts to fix, repair or maintain consumer products. Source: theconservativetreehouse.com https://twitter.com/KobeissiLetter/status/1917263959108862343 Trump to Sign Executive Order Providing Automakers Tariff Relief President Donald Trump will sign an executive order on Tuesday relaxing some of his 25% tariffs on autos and auto parts. The directive is the result of conversations directly with domestic auto manufacturers, a senior Commerce Department official said on a call with reporters.   The administration will offer automakers that finish their vehicles domestically a 15% offset of the cost of the tariffs. Automakers can choose how to allocate the offset.

The U.S. economy shrunk by 0.3% in the first quarter of 2025 according to the Commerce Department. That's a huge splash of cold water on the Trump administration's celebrations marking his first 100 days in office. In addition to that, Trump gave an interview to ABC News last night where he acknowledges he could bring Kilmar Abrego Garcia back from El Salvador if he wanted to, seemingly flouting the Supreme Court's order to do just that. So what is Chuck Schumer up to? He's put out a video literally clapping back against the administration's planned tax on cars. Great to see he's always on point! Sam is joined by Biden's former Social Security administrator Martin O'Malley, who has been raising the alarm about Republicans' assault on his former agency in a variety of ways. In the Fun Half, Sam look at more clips from Trump's 100 day celebrations, including a chilling moment at a rally in Michigan where Trump plays footage of prisoners in El Salvador's prison are paraded around for the cameras and have their heads shaved. The crowd chants U-S-A in response. Trump also apparently believes that the photoshopped version of Kilmar Abrego Garcia's hands with the letters MS13 imposed on them is a real photograph, and insists as much in his interview with ABC's Terry Moran. Meanwhile, Tim Pool tries to dispel what the right has come to call the "Maryland Man Hoax," which is the way they try to distract people from paying attention to the very real injustices at play in Abrego Garcia's deportation and imprisonment. Become a member at JoinTheMajorityReport.com: https://fans.fm/majority/join Follow us on TikTok here!: https://www.tiktok.com/@majorityreportfm Check us out on Twitch here!: https://www.twitch.tv/themajorityreport Find our Rumble stream here!: https://rumble.com/user/majorityreport Check out our alt YouTube channel here!: https://www.youtube.com/majorityreportlive Gift a Majority Report subscription here: https://fans.fm/majority/gift Subscribe to the ESVN YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/esvnshow Subscribe to the AMQuickie newsletter here: https://am-quickie.ghost.io/ Join the Majority Report Discord! https://majoritydiscord.com/ Get all your MR merch at our store: https://shop.majorityreportradio.com/ Get the free Majority Report App!: https://majority.fm/app Go to https://JustCoffee.coop and use coupon code majority to get 10% off your purchase! Check out today's sponsors: Babel: Babbel.com/Majority for up to 60% off your subscription Fast Growing Trees: Get 15% off your first purchase.  FastGrowingTrees.com/majority Aura Frames: Exclusive $35-off Carver Mat at AuraFrames.com. Promo Code MAJORITY Follow the Majority Report crew on Twitter: @SamSeder @EmmaVigeland @MattLech @RussFinkelstein Check out Matt's show, Left Reckoning, on Youtube, and subscribe on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/leftreckoning Check out Matt Binder's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/mattbinder Subscribe to Brandon's show The Discourse on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/ExpandTheDiscourse Check out Ava Raiza's music here! https://avaraiza.bandcamp.com/ The Majority Report with Sam Seder – https://majorityreportradio.com/

The Commerce Department reported the U.S. economy contracted by 0.3% in the first quarter of this year. We'll break down the GDP math formula and dig into what the latest report says about where the US economy may be headed. And, should businesses be transparent about the impact of tariffs on prices? A nixed plan from Amazon serves as a cautionary tale of the political risks. Plus, feeling stressed these days? Cow cuddling and bee therapy might help.Here's everything we talked about today:-"Trump blames Biden after GDP shrinks in first quarter, says growth will 'take a while'" from CNBC -"Businesses weigh how much to tell customers about tariffs' impact on price" from Marketplace-"Trump-Bezos call sets stage for tense earnings report from Amazon" from CNBC-"Trump vs. Amazon's Brilliant Tariff Idea" from The Wall Street Journal -"The Americans Fled Vietnam 50 Years Ago. I Visited the Buildings They Left Behind."  from The New York Times"Anxious about the world? Cow cuddling or bee buzzing might help ease your stress" from The Denver PostGot a question for the hosts? Email makemesmart@marketplace.org or leave us a voicemail at 508-U-B-SMART.

In 2024, Americans bought 5.7 times as much flatware and dishes and 3.5 times the furniture compared with 1994, according to Commerce Department data. They also purchased 2.5 times the clothing and footwear. Wall Street Journal reporter Dalvin Brown joins host Ariana Aspuru to discuss why cheap goods are actually costing us and how Trump's tariffs threaten to curb trade from one of the biggest exporters of low-cost goods.  Sign up for the WSJ's free Markets A.M. newsletter.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After days of stock market mayhem, President Donald Trump pulled back most of the tariffs he slapped on U.S. trade partners. But not China. Trump upped his tariffs on China to 125 percent — the latest shot in a rapidly escalating trade war. On POLITICO Tech, host Steven Overly talks to Nazak Nikakhtar, a former Commerce Department official during Trump's first term and law partner at Wiley, about the ways in which the tech industry is vulnerable to Beijing's retaliation, and why she thinks the economic pain from these sky-high tariffs is necessary. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For perspective on the growing trade war between the United States and China and the ripple effects it’s having, Amna Nawaz spoke with Elizabeth Economy. She served as the senior advisor for China in the Commerce Department during the Biden administration and is currently a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Consumers say they're fed up with inflation, then they keep spending. But their behavior could be catching up with their anxiety, an economist told us. The clues are in data released today by the Commerce Department. Also in this episode: Can you live on just 13 gallons of water a day? One water-saving group thinks it’s possible. Plus, we look into how cities, farmers and compost brokers are tackling organic waste.

Consumers say they're fed up with inflation, then they keep spending. But their behavior could be catching up with their anxiety, an economist told us. The clues are in data released today by the Commerce Department. Also in this episode: Can you live on just 13 gallons of water a day? One water-saving group thinks it’s possible. Plus, we look into how cities, farmers and compost brokers are tackling organic waste.

Ask an economist what’s driving decision-making right now, and the answer may well be “uncertainty.” In this episode, the unpredictable environment fuels a range of change: The labor market softens, surveys of the service sector point in opposite directions and Treasury yields sink. Plus, the Commerce Department just dissolved two expert advisory groups, putting the trustworthiness of future federal data into question.