Steven Ratter Insights

Since May, Republican inflation expectations have climbed while Democrats' have dropped.

Consumer sentiment dropped for the fourth month in a row in November.

Announced job cuts rose to 153,074 in October, the highest level for the month in 22 years.

The average first-time homebuyer age in 2025 was 40 years old. That must have a huge negative impact on young Americans’ view of the economy. My @Morning_Joe Chart

Since 2019, real personal spending has only increased for the top fifth of earners — that’s one reason why Americans don’t think their finances are improving. My @Morning_Joe Chart

Five times as many New Yorkers voted early in this mayoral election compared to the previous one. cc: @Gothamist

Nearly a fifth of American households with children rely on SNAP to buy groceries. cc: @washingtonpost

Here’s a scary picture for this Halloween

If it seems like your Halloween candy is a lot more expensive this year, it’s not just you — candy inflation is at 9.8%, with prices 44% above 2019 levels.

In my latest for @nytopinion, I explain why Americans should be grateful that Trump doesn’t run the Fed. nytimes.com/2025/10/29/opi…

An important chart from @washingtonpost on energy costs – generation has become cheaper, but the cost of delivering energy to consumers across the grid has more than doubled.

CPI inflation rose to 3% in September, slightly undershooting expectations. Inflation has increased every month since April.

Gold price growth is correlated with uncertainty. That’s because it’s considered to be a safe and stable asset. My @Morning_Joe Chart

One factor behind the recent gold rally is central banks stocking up on gold, first in response to the West freezing Russian assets in 2022, then in reaction to Trump’s economic chaos. My @Morning_Joe Chart

Retail investors have been accounting for a growing share of trading. Options, which are particularly risky, recently had their biggest trading day in history. My @Morning_Joe Chart

The S&P Shiller P/E ratio is at a historically high level, only surpassed by dot-com bubble levels. That doesn’t necessarily mean the market will roll over, though. My @Morning_Joe Chart

The 6-months ending Oct 8th saw historically high S&P growth. My @Morning_Joe Chart

Trump is completely unconcerned by the shutdown, and proceeding with his normal priorities: building a fancy ballroom in the White House. nytimes.com/2025/10/15/us/…

While layoffs remain at normal levels, those without a job are facing a tougher economy. Over a quarter of unemployed Americans have been jobless for more than half a year. My @Morning_Joe Chart

Payrolls growth is anemic. It’s also concentrated in big businesses, and the leisure & hospitality and health & education sectors. My @Morning_Joe Chart