Producer prices were flat in August. Producer prices have been held down by a strong dollar and cheap oil. Trade services fell 0.6%, energy prices fell 0.8%, and
health care costs increased 0.4%. The core Producer Price Index climbed 1.2% in the last 12 months. (Reuters)

Retail sales fell in August by 0.3%, led by weak auto sales.  Total sales are up 1.9% from a year ago. Auto sales fell 0.9% and sales at service stations dropped 0.8%. Sales at online retailers declined 0.3% and receipts at sporting goods and hobby stores dropped by 1.4%. Receipts at clothing stores rose 0.7%, sales at electronics and appliance stores gained 0.1% percent receipts at restaurants and bars rose 0.9%. (Reuters)

Industrial production fell 0.4% in September.  Industrial production had recently picked up after declining for much of the last 18 months. A bright spot was mining output rising 1.0%, it's fourth consecutive monthly increase. Business equipment output dropped 0.4%. The percentage of industrial capacity in use fell slightly to 75.5%.(Reuters)

Join us this weekend for Financial Focus Radio when we will talk about what the Fed will do next week with interest rates.

With Northwest Quadrant Wealth Management, a Registered Investment Advisor I am Troy Reinhart.