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 Weekly Monitor

15 May 2026 US Monitor The recent strength in retail sales is on borrowed time

  • Core retail sales were very strong again in April; sales in February and March were revised up too.
  • But spending looks set to falter ahead, as the lift from tax refunds fades, and gas prices stay elevated.
  • We now look for a 1% expansion in consumers’ spending in Q2, but a mere 0.5% gain in Q3.

14 May 2026 US Monitor April PPI jump was narrow and will partially reverse soon

  • Half of the rise in the April core PPI was due to a jump in gross margins; they won’t stay so high for long.
  • A further third of the gain was driven by a step jump in transportation prices; unlikely to be repeated..
  • Data center investment still is providing only a small lift to overall construction activity and employment.

13 May 2026 US MonitorCore CPI inflation probably has peaked; April's data are misleading

  • April’s 0.38% rise in the core CPI was driven by one-time jumps in rents, airline fares and tax services. 
  • Surveys point to bigger rises in core goods prices, but apparel prices will fall from weather-boosted levels.
  • Measures of new rents have stalled; we look for 0.20% rises in the core CPI over the next three months.

12 May 2026 US Monitor Retail sales likely held their ground in April, but look set to falter later in Q2

  • The hit to April sales from high gas prices and cooler weather likely was offset by strong tax refunds.
  • We look for a 0.4% increase in headline sales, and a further 0.2% uptick in the retail control measure.
  • Spending likely will slow sharply from May, however, as gas prices stay high and refunds taper off.

11 May 2026 US Monitor Hiring plans too weak for recent payrolls momentum to be sustained

  • Payrolls have been flattered by the weather and a temporary burst of activity in the goods sector.
  • Most indicators of hiring intentions and expected wage growth have weakened in recent months.
  • The FOMC will be more worried about the labor market than inflation by the end of this year.

8 May 2026 US Monitor The core CPI likely rose 0.4% in April, but a slowdown should follow

  • The tariffs passed through fully to the CPI by March, but energy-driven goods price hikes will take time...
  • Used auto prices and airline fares probably jumped in April, while rents likely rose at twice their trend...
  • ...The BLS will use a calculation that will unwind its no-change assumption for rents last October.

7 May 2026 US Monitor Supply chain fears are lifting activity, implying a longer wait for Fed easing

  • Oil consumption has risen despite soaring prices; goods producers are preparing for disruptions.
  • Surveys point to a bigger rise in core goods prices than implied by the rise in oil prices alone.
  • We still look for a further 75bp easing but we now expect the first cut in December, not September.

6 May 2026 US Monitor Labor demand remains too soft to embed the energy price shock

  • Weak JOLTS job openings in March push back against the theory that labor demand is picking up. 
  • Soft hiring and low quits signal limited second-round inflation risk after the energy shock. 
  • Mounting pressures on homebuilders suggest residential construction payrolls will start falling again.

5 May 2026 US Monitor The AI boom won't prop up the economy all by itself

  • Tech capex is booming, but not all of this spending is AI-related, and much is spent on imports. 
  • We think the direct boost to GDP growth from AI investment likely is running at only around 0.2pp. 
  • Consumers’ spending and non-tech investment are weak, and are in need of more policy support. 

1 May 2026 US Monitor Growth outside the tech sector was sluggish in Q1, before the Iran war

  • GDP grew by 2.0% in Q1, but underlying momentum was weak even before the energy shock hit in full. 
  • Consumers’ spending slowed further, while investment outside the tech sector dipped again.
  • Core PCE inflation will climb further in the near term, but we expect it to be back below 3% by year-end.

30 April 2026 US Monitor Hawkish FOMC dissents fail to erase the easing bias

  • Most Committee members stuck to language implying an easing bias, rather than placate the hawks.
  • Powell’s decision to stay on means the President must use Miran’s seat to place Warsh on the FOMC.
  • We look for Q1 GDP growth of 1.8%, with consumption mediocre and investment lifted by the AI boom.

29 April 2026 US Monitor Where is the demand destruction from higher gas prices?

  • Regular gasoline prices hit a 2026 high earlier this week, despite the modest dip in oil prices.
  • Spending on fuel and discretionary services is solid for now, but demand usually wilts after a few months.
  • The labor market components of the Conference Board survey suggest hiring remains very weak. 

28 April 2026 US Monitor FOMC to signal little urgency to shift policy, but will keep easing bias

  • The FOMC statement is unlikely to cite “two-sided” policy risk, despite better labor market data…
  • …GDP growth is slow, upside inflation risks have eased, and inflation expectations remain unalarming.
  • GDPNow’s Q1 estimate understates the rebound in federal spending, but the underlying picture is weak. 

27 April 2026 US Monitor Higher gas prices will soon hurt more, as flow of tax refunds fades

  • Tax refunds have more than offset the hit from higher gas prices, so far, but this support will fade shortly.
  • The BEA’s impartiality faces scrutiny this week when it chooses the PCE deflator input for legal services.
  • Tariff costs are down and refund applications are now going in; retailers can hold back raising prices.

24 April 2026 US Monitor Rising bank lending to businesses mostly due to private credit woes

  • Bank lending to businesses has shot up this year; often this signals faster growth in capex...
  • ...But this time the jump in lending likely reflects a tightening of access to private credit.
  • The S&P Global PMI probably is overstating the upward pressure on core inflation.

23 April 2026 US Monitor Are the green shoots of a labor market recovery emerging?

  • Weekly ADP payroll data and the ASA’s staffing index have picked up, but both have poor track records.
  • Measures of job openings have worsened, and our preferred indicators of payrolls haven’t improved.
  • The impact of AI on the economy looks too uncertain to justify rate cuts in the near term. 

22 April 2026 US Monitor Robust March retail sales mostly due to temporary supports

  • March control retail sales rose the most since August, despite the jump in gas prices...
  • ...but spending is unlikely to rise further in Q2, as support from tax refunds and the weather fades.
  • Kevin Warsh sounded less sure that AI adoption will make room for much lower rates.

21 April 2026 US Monitor Rising earnings expectations don't guarantee a stronger economy

  • S&P 500 earnings expectations often are wrong-footed by big surprises in the economy’s performance.
  • The earnings of large companies also have only a loose relationship with broader economic growth. 
  • The recent upturn in expected EPS mostly reflects booming AI capex and higher commodity prices.

20 April 2026 US Monitor Cooling rent inflation will overwhelm the energy price boost

  • Zillow’s measure of new rents increased in April by less than 0.10%, for the fourth straight month.
  • The recent further rise in the vacancy rate and pickup in multi-family starts implies the glut will continue.
  • Rent’s contribution to core CPI inflation will be 0.3pp lower by year-end, overwhelming the energy hit.

17 April 2026 US Monitor Will households borrow more to offset the gas price shock?

  • Households often borrow more when gas prices surge, and banks have become more willing to lend...
  • ...But high interest rates, elevated delinquencies and low confidence suggest people will be cautious.
  • Surveys suggest a better times ahead for manufacturers, but big headwinds remain.
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