Releases From The Economic Front Lines

Today's economic numbers were ugly.

Retail sales, widely expected to be weak, were borderline abysmal.

The import price index was reported. The index saw a 1.3% increase (whiff....inflation).

Finally, the nation's trade deficit rose 10.4 percent in March to $63.9 billion from $57.9 billion in February. Economists expected a gap of $60 billion. Increased oil shipments drove the biggest increase in imports in more than four years.

Wow. Think about that last one for a minute. "The Skeptic" thinks yesterday's Fed communique, feigning vigilance on inflation, may be their last chance to act so tough.