Retail sales in February 2022 reached $2,670 millions , with a 2.5% over the year increase when compared to February 2021. When compared to February 2019 there is only a -1% difference, which shows that Puerto Rico’s retail sales are essentially back at the pre-pandemic level, despite the Omicron outbreak in early 2022. February 2022...Read More
A total of 75,117 cruise ship passengers arrived in the island in March 2022. This represents an increase of 19,830 passengers or 35.9% when compared to March 2020. When compared to February 2022 passenger traffic increased by 40,778 or 118.8%. These passengers were distributed among 46 separate trips. When compared to March 2020 total trips...Read More
The U.S. The Bureau of Labor Statistics released a report stating that unemployment in April 2022 has decreased when compared to March; it reached 77,561 a 2.6% decrease when compared to the previous month. Additionally, it had an even greater decrease when compared with the April 2021 number, which had a decrease of -16% change...Read More
For the month of November 2021, exports totaled $5.38 billion, a 23.2% increase compared to November 2020, and a 6% increase from October 2020.Read More
The latest report released by The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics states that inflation in the month of April 2022 is up to 8.3%. Meaning that goods and services were 8.3% more expensive in April 2022 than in April 2021. This year’s rate almost doubled the rate of April 2021 when it was 4.2%. Also,...Read More
Cement sales reached 1,297.4 thousand 94-pound sacks in April 2022, while production reached 705.5 94-pound sacks. When compared to March 2022 sales decreased by 59.2 thousand units or 7.7%. When compared to April 2021, sales increased by 70.6 thousand units or 11.1%. Meanwhile, when compared to March 2022 production decreased by 174.6 thousand units or...Read More
The Economic Activity Index (EAI) is a measure of the island economic activity calculated by the Economic Development Bank of Puerto Rico. It is based of four macroeconomic indicators, Total Non-Farm Payroll, Electric Power Generation, Gas Consumption and Cement Sales. Altogether these indicators closely model trends in the islands production, because of this, changes in...Read More
New car unit sales for the month of April 2022 totaled 10,833, only 19 units more (0.2%) compared to April 2021. This slight increase comes after falling 4.4% in March due to inventory challenges. Compared to April 2019, sales are up 47.4%. In the first four months of the year, sales are 0.9% above the...Read More
Inflation in the United States exceeds expectations and increases the pressure on the Fed for new increases in the interest rate. Consumer prices rose 0.3% in April compared to March and an accumulating rise of 8.3% compared to April 2021. However, the data for April was above the 0.2% expected by the market for the...Read More
The Bureau of Labor Statistics published last week new reports for wages nationwide and in Puerto Rico. Average hourly wages for 2021 were $10.93hr, an increase of 2.9% compared to the previous year. Total Nonfarm Payroll also increased to 843,810 wage workers according to the BLS. When analyzed by occupation, those in Life, Physical, and...Read More