First-Quarter 2018 Real GDP Should Slow Much More Sharply Than Expected

Nothing Supports the Existing Purported Post-Recession GDP Expansion of 15.3%,
Including Headline Production and Manufacturing, Retail Sales, Construction,
Payroll Employment and Civilian Employed, Trade Deficit, Credit Growth,
Freight Activity and Domestic Petroleum Consumption

April Consumer Outlook Took a Hit, Amidst Faltering Earnings and Credit

First-Quarter 2018 Real Retail Sales Contraction of 2.6% (-2.6%) Was
Deepest Since Depths of the Great Recession

Real Sales Growth Backed Off from Fourth-Quarter Natural-Disaster Boosts,
Yet, Annual Real Growth Also Fell Deep into Recession-Warning Territory, versus
First-Quarter 2017, Which Was Not Disaster-Impacted

March Freight Index Continued Higher with Strong Annual Growth,
Still Shy of Recovering Its Pre-Recession Peak Activity by 7.4% (-7.4%)

Given a Record 41 Quarters, 123 Months of Economic Non-Expansion,
March Manufacturing Still Held Shy of Its Pre-Recession Peak by 5.4% (-5.4%)

Continuing in Nonsensical Monthly Booms and Busts, March 2018
Housing Starts Gained 1.9% on Top of Sharp Upside Revisions to February,
Still in Low Level, Non-Recovering Stagnation and
Shy by 42.0% (-42.0%) of Beginning Its Economic Expansion