WASHINGTON — U.S. import prices fell 0.1% in December and export prices dropped 0.5%, the Labor Department reported Friday.
The December import price decline matched the 0.1% median decrease projected by economists polled by Thomson Reuters. Import prices for November were revised to show a 0.8% rise from the previous month.
The decrease in import prices in December reflected a 0.5% fall in fuel imports. Petroleum import prices fell 0.4% and natural gas prices saw a 4.9% decrease.
A combination of a "stronger-than-expected economy, higher Treasury rates, robust supply, and rich valuations resulting in choppy markets" have made the trading environment in H124 "quite difficult," according to Barclays.
Two rating agencies upgraded Los Angeles Unified School District's bond ahead of multi-billion dollar refunding.
The Basel III Endgame proposal to restructure capital holding levels comes under fire.
Friday price talk for the unrated tax-exempt paper was between 11% and 15%.
The board approved that step at its second quarter board meeting held this week.
The Inflation Reduction Act, affordable housing and clean energy were among the topics discussed at Baker Tilly's DevelUP conference in Chicago this week.
