KEY DATA: Phila. Fed (Manufacturing): +11.2 points; Orders: +22.2; Prices: +6.6 points/ LEI: +0.4% / Claims: +11,000

IN A NUTSHELL: “While the strong growth should continue through the rest of the year, the rising pricing power it is supporting is becoming worrisome.”

WHAT IT MEANS: The concerns about strong growth and expansionary fiscal policy being implemented at the wrong time are that inflation and interest rates could surge. So, what firms have been doing when faced with rising demand and increasing costs? One indication comes from the May Philadelphia Federal Reserve’s Business Outlook Survey. Today’s report was for manufacturers and boy was it strong. Manufacturing activity in the Middle Atlantic region jumped in early May, led by a surge in new orders. Firms are not only adding more workers to meet the growing demand but are working their current employees longer. But the real story is in the pricing data. The prices received index hit its highest level in over 29 years. You have to go back to the early ‘80s to find any period where the current level was sustained. Already, 55% of the respondents say they have been raising their prices and almost two-thirds believe they will be able to so over the next six months. In addition, firms are expecting their price increases to be in the 3% range over the next year. That has to worry the Fed members.

Looking forward, the economy should be strong for months to come. The Conference Board’s Leading Economic Index rose solidly again in April. Only two of the ten components, stock prices and housing permits, were down and stocks have done pretty well so far this month. So this index should continue to point to strong economic activity.

On the labor front, jobless claims jumped last week, but the level remains ridiculously low. Of course, I keep saying we are in a labor shortage environment, and I keep believing that, but the proof for workers is in wages and they still are not rising as fast as the claims data would imply.

MARKETS AND FED POLICY IMPLICATIONS: Right now, the trends in inflation and interest rates are not good. Oil prices continue to rise and hit levels not seen since November 2014. Until it is clear what will happen with Iranian exports, oil prices should remain elevated. I would not be surprised if prices back down, but I think we will wind up with higher oil costs as a result of backing out of the Iranian agreement. Unless that decision is modified, the Fed has to assume the higher prices, at least to some extent, are sustainable. That should be a factor in not just the speed of interest rate hikes but also in how fast the Fed will shrink its balance sheet. Meanwhile, rising oil prices and surging bond rates (the 10-year T-Note hit its highest rate in seven years) seem to mean little to investors. I guess they will worry about the future when it comes. But the Fed will not close its eyes to what is going on and a rate hike at the end of the June 12-13 FOMC meeting looks highly likely.