To The Pouting Pundits Of Pessimism: V-Shaped Economic Recovery Is Well Underway

By nearly every measure, the economy is tracing out a V-shaped recovery. The pouting pundits of pessimism say that people aren’t spending, but retail sales (excluding autos) are up at a 3.9% annual rate so far this year versus double-digit declines late last year. Manufacturing has turned the corner (the ISM Manufacturing Index has been above 50 for two straight months), imports and exports are bouncing back, commodity prices are up significantly, and real GDP is set for a solid gains of 3%-4%.

Housing has turned the corner as well. After bottoming in January, new home sales are up 58% at an annual rate. Housing starts have also bottomed, housing inventories have plummeted, and home prices are on the rise. The S&P/Case Shiller 20-city index shows that home prices are up for two consecutive months and have risen in 15 out of 20 cities during the past three months.

Jobs are always a lagging indicator, but there are three other contributing factors to the current lackluster jobs numbers. First, CEOs are skeptical of the recovery and tentative about hiring. And productivity is allowing more production with fewer workers. But productivity can only hold off new hiring for so long. With inventories at rock-bottom levels, consumer spending on the rebound and profit-margins wide, job growth should expand sharply in the quarters ahead. Expect positive job growth in late 2009 or early 2010.

~Brian Wesbury writing in today’s Wall Street Journal

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