US stocks sold off sharply on Friday, as comments from Fed Chairman Powell showed the Fed planned to continue to be aggressive with fed funds rate increases to reduce inflation “until they are confident the job is done.” The S&P 500 dropped 4.0% and the Dow fell by 4.2% for the week. Foreign markets were also lower with the FTSE All World Ex US down 1.1% for the week. US crude was up for the week ending at $93.06 per barrel, up from $90.77 the week prior. The yield on the 10-year Treasury ended the week higher at 3.03% up from 2.99% the week prior.
Headline personal consumption expenditures price index, the Fed’s preferred inflation measure, increased 6.3% year over year in July, down from 6.8% in June. On a monthly basis, headline PCE was down 0.1%, the first decline since April 2020. Core PCE, which excludes food and energy prices, increased by 4.6% year over year in July, less than the 4.8% increase expected. Personal income grew by 0.2% and consumer spending rose 0.1% in July.
The US Commerce Department revised the second quarter US GDP from contracting by 0.9% to a 0.6% decline.
The average rate for a 30-year fixed mortgage increased to 5.55% this week, nearly double the rate from a year ago.
Saudi Arabia and other oil-producing nations have suggested cutting crude production which could push the price of oil higher.