Read the highlights of this week’s commentary from Helios:
- The headline Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose by 0.2% in September, matching the increase of the previous two months, with the shelter and food indexes making up more than 75% of the overall monthly increase. Core CPI, which excludes food and energy, rose by 0.3% for the second consecutive month. Headline CPI rose 2.4% annually, the smallest annual increase since February 2021, while core CPI rose 3.3%.
- The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) small-business uncertainty index reached the highest level on record in September since its inception in 1974. The survey revealed that pre-election uncertainty is paralyzing small businesses, leading many to delay, scale down, or cancel capital expenditures and investment plans.
- China’s weekend Finance Ministry briefing disappointed investors by lacking the substantial fiscal measures they expected, with no headline figure for new stimulus, extending recent market volatility and leaving sentiment negative. As of Friday, October 11, the Shanghai Shenzhen CSI 300 Index is up 21% since China’s central bank unveiled its largest stimulus since the pandemic on September 24, aimed at pulling the economy out of its deflationary slump.
Want to learn more about Helios Quantitative Research? Click Here to schedule a meeting with one of our representatives!