Pantheon Macroeconomics

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US Publications

Below is a list of our US Publications for the last 5 months. If you are looking for reports older than 5 months please email info@pantheonmacro.com, or contact your account rep

Please use the filters on the right to search for a specific date or topic.

Daily Monitor Samuel Tombs

7 May 2025 US Monitor FOMC to remain non-committal on the 2025 rate outlook

  • Markets have relaxed and the economy is holding up, so the FOMC needn’t signal a June easing today.
  • The FOMC will have two more CPI reports and news on reciprocal tariffs if it waits until July.
  • The latest trade data suggest pre-tariff stockpiling was very limited outside of a couple of sectors.

Samuel TombsUS

25 April 2025 US Monitor How big is the threat from higher Treasury yields to small banks?

  • Small banks have run down their Treasury holdings since 2023, especially long bonds.
  • The biggest risk for small banks is further tariff escalation, which would hit CRE valuations and lift yields.
  • A tariff-driven bounce in business investment in Q1 will give way to a slump in Q2 and Q3.

Samuel TombsUS

24 April 2025 US Monitor April business surveys point to slowing growth, not recession

  • April’s S&P Global PMI points to GDP growth of 1½% in Q2; the regional Fed surveys are only a bit weaker.
  • Tariffs are lifting manufacturers’ costs, but service sector disinflation is ongoing; the Fed can ease soon.
  • Post-tariff uncertainty and the upturn in mortgage rates will add to the headwinds facing housing. 

Samuel TombsUS

11 April 2025 US Monitor Services inflation likely to keep falling, enabling the FOMC to ease

  • The subdued March core CPI reading will be followed by much bigger increases in the coming months...
  • ...But ongoing weakness in underlying services inflation should lessen the trade-off faced by the Fed. 
  • March PPI data are worth watching for signs retailers are absorbing some early tariff costs in their margins.

Samuel TombsUS

10 April 2025 US Monitor Stagnation still lies ahead, as the trade war narrows but deepens

  • Uncertainty remains high even after Mr. Trump’s blink; for now, the tariffs imply a 1% uplift to consumer prices.
  • …That’s a slightly smaller boost than we previously factored in, but the outlook for exports has darkened.
  • China’s 84% tariffs will inflict a 0.3% blow to US GDP; we still expect the economy to slow to a near-standstill.

Samuel TombsUS

9 April 2025 US Monitor Using tariff revenue to cut taxes would offset little of the wider damage

  • Tariff-funded tax cuts would simply give with one hand while taking more with the other.
  • The net federal revenue available is likely to be just $200B, after accounting for the weaker economy.
  • We look for a below-consensus 0.2% rise in the March core CPI; it’s too soon to see impact of China tariffs

Samuel TombsUS

8 April 2025 US Monitor Rules of thumb to navigate through the tariff crisis

  • Recent falls in oil prices and shipping costs will offset about one quarter of the tariff boost to inflation.
  • The $10 fall in WTI oil prices, however, also points to a 0.1% hit to GDP via lower business investment.
  • The fall in financial wealth is consistent with households’ spending undershooting its trend by 0.7%.

Samuel TombsUS

4 April 2025 US Monitor Stagnation in GDP is now our base case, after the tariff shock

  • The average effective tariff rate will jump to 22%, from 3%, if Mr. Trump follows through on his plans.
  • We now look for a tariff uplift to the core PCE deflator of about 1¼%, half a point more than our prior assumption.
  • The outlook for capex and exports is worse too, but fiscal and monetary policy can offset some damage.

Samuel TombsUS

3 April 2025 US Monitor Break-even payroll growth likely has stepped down, but only modestly

  • Border Patrol encounters have fallen to zero, but unauthorized immigration likely will rebound soon.
  • ICE arrests have risen only slightly; the hit to labor force growth so far is modest.
  • A shrinking wage growth premium for job switchers suggests lower core services inflation ahead. 

Samuel TombsUS

25 March 2025 US Monitor PMI signals falling services inflation, despite resilience in current activity

  • Markets pulled back expectations for Fed easing, after the recovery in the composite PMI in March... 
  • ...But the survey also signalled declining margins in manufacturing, and lower services inflation.
  • New home sales likely revived in February after adverse weather, but renewed weakness lies ahead.

Samuel TombsUS

21 March 2025 US Monitor Low jobless claims offer false reassurance on labor market health

  • Jobless claims are unlikely to remain low for long; WARN data are consistent with a jump in April.
  • Indeed’s measure of job postings now is down 9% since Mr. Trump’s inauguration; uncertainty is biting.
  • Regional Fed surveys for March so far suggest manufacturers are absorbing some of the tariff costs.

Samuel TombsUS

20 March 2025 US Monitor The FOMC's fears of rising unemployment will be borne out soon

  • The median FOMC member still expects to ease policy by 50bp this year, but slowdown fears have grown.
  • Most members expect tariff inflation to be transitory; attention will soon switch to rising unemployment.
  • Homebase data imply private payroll growth slowed to 50K in March, but it likely overstates the downshift.

Samuel TombsUS

19 March 2025 US Monitor FOMC unlikely to endorse the dovish shift in market pricing yet

  • The median FOMC forecast likely will envisage easing by 50bp this year, the same as in December.
  • The Chair will retain all options, leaving investors unsure if trade war escalation would mean lower rates.
  • We continue to expect the FOMC ultimately to ease by 75bp this year, with the first move in June.

Samuel TombsUS

18 March 2025 US Monitor Real consumption set for muted growth in Q1

  • We are tracking consumption growth of about 1½% in Q1, after February’s retail sales data...
  • ...Most real-time indicators look solid, despite lower confidence, so March spending likely will rise too.
  • Look today for a 0.6% rise in February manufacturing output, but surveys point to trouble ahead.

Samuel TombsUS

14 March 2025 US Monitor Core PCE deflator likely rose too fast in February for a dovish Fed pivot

  • We estimate the core PCE deflator rose by 0.36% in February, lifting the inflation rate to 2.8%, from 2.6%.
  • Markets expect 75bp of FOMC easing in 2025, but most members will keep projecting 50bp next week.
  • Forward-looking components of the PPI, however, suggest services inflation will slow further this year.

Samuel TombsUS

13 March 2025 US Monitor A further slowing in services inflation will offset the uplift from tariffs

  • A plunge in airline fares tempered the rise in the core CPI, but the core PCE deflator likely rose by 0.3%.
  • Services disinflation will resume; the contribution of rent to core inflation will be 0.5pp lower by end-year...
  • ...That will offset the uplift from 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico, keeping core CPI inflation stable at 3%.

Samuel TombsUS

12 March 2025 US Monitor The labor market is looking less "solid" by the day

  • January Job postings still above summer 2024 levels; no sudden changes in federal postings… 
  • …But Indeed new postings are down 7% since the inauguration, and layoff indicators have jumped.
  • Small businesses plan to continue squeezing wage rises this year; services inflation will fall further.

Samuel TombsUS

11 March 2025 US Monitor Risks to the February CPI consensus forecast are mostly to the downside

  • We look for a 0.3% increase in the February core CPI, but the risks are skewed towards a 0.2% print.
  • Used vehicle prices likely fell sharply; it’s too soon to see a big uplift to goods prices from tariffs on China.
  • Weakening demand for air travel and hotels likely restrained the increase in overall services prices.

Samuel TombsUS

7 March 2025 US Monitor Education jobs unlikely to cause a downside payroll surprise today

  • February’s rise in Homebase education jobs was small only because January’s fall was relatively mild.
  • The broad-based jump in Challenger job cuts shows clear cracks are forming in the labor market.
  • Trade data likely miscount a surge in gold imports; revisions will result in a smaller net trade hit to GDP.

Samuel TombsUS

6 March 2025 US Monitor GDPNow is misfiring; growth is slowing, not collapsing

  • The near-3% annualized decline in GDP forecast by the Atlanta Fed’s model is far too downbeat.
  • Consumption will recover in February and GDPNow likely is misinterpreting the surge in gold imports.
  • The ADP and ISM services employment indicators are both unreliable guides to payrolls.

Samuel TombsUS

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