Total consumer credit increased by $8.20 billion (B), in April down substantially from March’s $19.54B and far below analyst’s expectations. Both revolving and installment credit fell month on month, (m/m). The 3 month moving average (3MMA) total credit was $14.75B.

New data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), shows that continuous claims for unemployment benefits fell by 21,000 for the week ending May 6^th, this on the heels of the previous weeks 59,000 decline.

The US dollar (USD) has fallen for 5 consecutive weeks against the Broad Index, (a trade weighted basket of currencies). The May 2017 Broad index value was 99.34, down 0.4% from the April’s reading and down 2.1% compared to 3 months ago.

The BDI average for May was 976. Year to date (YTD), the index has averaged 1,003. In the same period last year the BDI average was 457.

The annualized Gross Domestic Product (GDP), growth rate in the second estimate of the first quarter (Q1), of 2017 was 1.15%, revised upward from the dismal 0.7% first estimate.

The overall summary is that; the economy continues to expand across most of the nation at a modest to moderate pace. Tight labor markets are reducing the rate of hiring and causing wages to rise.