The best growth since 2003

Key interest rates are staying near zero—a spot they’ve been in since March of last year.

The last time the index was this high was February 2020, just before COVID slammed doors shut. This month’s reading is the 4th straight monthly increase.

Like autos, prices are rising—but perhaps to the point where people are crying Uncle.

Half of new car buyers are now paying within 5% of sticker price.

There was certainly a North American story to tell with retail sales up 30% and sales of 32,000 bikes.

Retail sales in March were through the roof, up nearly 10%. That’s the biggest jump since last May and blew past the 5.9% prediction.

After opening at $381 per share, it had a fully diluted market value around $102 billion.

The index that covers everyday items like groceries, clothing, recreation, and vehicles is up 2.6%.

Uber drivers logging onto the app for driving gigs was down 40% in first quarter 2021.