Release surprise

Release surprise compares releases with their own recent patterns. It does not measure the overall strength of the economy.

How to read release surprise

Positive and negative show which side of recent patterns the indexed releases favor. For growth, positive means stronger and negative means weaker. For inflation, positive means cooler and negative means hotter.

Rising means the score increased since the prior reading; falling means it decreased.

US Macro Surprise

Broad economic releases are running above their own recent patterns.

Current reading+0.28Positive
Change since prior reading-0.01Falling
Data dateSep 19, 2026US Macro Surprise
Inspect 10 release contributions
ReleaseData dateLatestRecent averageContribution
Unemployment RateAug 1, 20264.104.32+2.20
Nonfarm PayrollsAug 1, 2026159075.00158628.08+2.15
Retail SalesAug 1, 2026773947.00745305.08+2.06
Industrial ProductionAug 1, 2026103.07101.98+1.84
Real Gross Domestic ProductApr 1, 202624270.6023740.99+1.78
PCE Price IndexJul 1, 2026131.66129.09-1.66
Consumer Price IndexAug 1, 2026334.13328.08-1.52
Durable Goods New OrdersAug 1, 2026338604.00323887.25+1.31
Initial ClaimsSep 19, 2026197000.00208538.46+1.14
Housing StartsAug 1, 20261275.001346.00-0.79

US Growth Surprise

Recent growth releases are running above their own recent patterns.

Current reading+0.54Positive
Change since prior reading+0.06Rising
Data dateAug 1, 2026US Growth Surprise
Inspect 8 release contributions
ReleaseData dateLatestRecent averageContribution
Leading Index for the United StatesFeb 1, 20201.721.35+2.64
Nonfarm PayrollsAug 1, 2026159075.00158628.08+2.15
Retail SalesAug 1, 2026773947.00745305.08+2.06
Manufacturers' New Orders: TotalJul 1, 2026663616.00626839.42+1.85
Industrial ProductionAug 1, 2026103.07101.98+1.84
Real Gross Domestic ProductApr 1, 202624270.6023740.99+1.78
Durable Goods New OrdersAug 1, 2026338604.00323887.25+1.31
Housing StartsAug 1, 20261275.001346.00-0.79

US Inflation Surprise

Inflation releases are running hotter than their own recent patterns.

Current reading-0.28Negative
Change since prior reading+0.03Rising
Data dateAug 1, 2026US Inflation Surprise
Inspect 8 release contributions
ReleaseData dateLatestRecent averageContribution
Core PCE Price IndexJul 1, 2026130.66128.27-1.85
Core CPIAug 1, 2026337.76333.04-1.80
PCE Price IndexJul 1, 2026131.66129.09-1.66
Consumer Price IndexAug 1, 2026334.13328.08-1.52
Producer Price IndexAug 1, 2026287.93271.84-1.42
Dallas Fed Trimmed Mean PCE Inflation (12mo)Jul 1, 20262.282.48+1.25
Median CPIAug 1, 20262.102.70+0.61
Atlanta Fed Sticky CPIAug 1, 20260.250.23-0.29

How release surprise is calculated