The stock market fell today on Home Depot's disappointing guidance. Consumers fixed up their homes during the pandemic when social distancing restrictions kept many of them at home. By late last year and early this year, consumers pivoted from purchasing goods to spending on services. In other words, HD's y/y comps are challenging as housing-related retail sales have been weakening in recent months (chart).
Today's economic releases for April’s retail sales and industrial production were consistent with our soft-landing economic outlook. There’s no hard landing indicated in these indicators:
