In the News:
The Wall Street Journal

Chief Economist Joseph Brusuelas on April retail sales with the The Wall Street Journal:

"The holiday inspired increase in purchases saw the key core data that feeds into the overall output for [the second quarter] get off to an unexpectedly positive start. However, the extra shopping day for the month cannot account for the entire increase across the board inside the core. In advance of the arrival of the rebate checks, the consumer hit the malls to release of bit of the pent up demand for purchasing after a few months of lackluster sales. This is an undeniably positive development that does set the table for a second quarter that is looking to shape up far better than anyone could have imagined just a few weeks ago."  Joseph Brusuelas, Merk Investments