Economic indicators

The federal government ran a $119.1 billion surplus in September, the Treasury Department reported Thursday.

The value of business inventories in August were up 0.5%, slightly below the 0.6% increase expected by analysts.

U.S. retail sales rose less than forecast in September, as a broad-based increase was overshadowed by a drop in restaurant receipts that may reflect the impact of Hurricane Florence.

Selling prices remained elevated, while business activity expanded at a faster pace in October.

The University of Michigan's preliminary October consumer sentiment index reading was 99.0, compared to the final September 100.1.

Import prices were up in September, above the 0.2% gain expected and following a 0.4% decline in August.

Initial claims for U.S. state unemployment benefits rose by 7,000 to 214,000 in the Oct. 6 week after falling to 207,000 in the previous week.

A gauge of underlying U.S. inflation was below estimates in September as used-vehicle costs fell and housing rents cooled.

August wholesale inventories increased by 1.0%, revised upward from the 0.8% reported in the advance estimate.

U.S. producer prices rose for the first time in three months amid a surge in gauges reflecting airfares and rail-transportation costs.

Consumers’ inflation expectations held, but respondents’ optimism about wages surged.

The Conference Board's Employment Trends Index (ETI) slid to 110.77 in September from an upwardly revised 111.18 in August.

Small business optimism slipped a bit in September, but the National Federation of Independent Business' small business optimism index reading of 107.9 was the third highest in the survey's 45-year history.

Consumer credit increased by $20.1 billion in August to $3.935 trillion, the Federal Reserve reported Friday.

The U.S. international trade gap widened to $53.2 billion in August from $50.0 billion in July.

U.S. hiring cooled in September by more than forecast, wage gains eased slightly and the jobless rate fell to a 48-year low.

The value of new factory orders rose 2.3% in August, slightly above the 2.2% increase expected by analysts.

Initial claims for U.S. state unemployment benefits fell by 8,000 to 207,000 in the September 29 week.

The U.S. services sector expanded at a faster pace in September as the non-manufacturing index rose to 61.6 from 58.5 in August.

Private-sector employment increased by 230,000 in September, on a seasonally adjusted basis, ADP estimated Wednesday.