Commentary Archive
(2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002)

July 2009
2 U.S. Payrolls Decline Another 467,000 As Jobless Rate Increases To 9.5%
2 U.S. Light Vehicle Sales In June Hold A Steady, Sideways Movement
1

U.S. Construction Spending Holding Steady

1 Tankan Improves: Still In Slow-Motion 
1 ADP Report: Rate Of Job Loss Lessens A Bit
1 U.S. Pending Home Sales Stable At Their Highest Level Since September
1

ISM Factory Sector Index Rose Modestly While Prices Jump

1

Challenger Layoffs Moderate Further

June 2009
30 U.S. Consumer Confidence Slips
30

UK GDP Is Officially A Train Wreck

30

Energy Prices Are Volatile With Weak Demand & Short Supply Prospects 

30 Decline In Case-Shiller Home Price Index Eases 
29 Business and Consumer Confidence Improve in the Euro Area 
29

Chicago Fed Index Remains Stable in May At Highest Level Since October

26

Michigan Consumer Sentiment Improves With Higher Expectations

26

French Confidence, Still In A Deep Pit, Rises

26

U.S. Personal Income Surge Lifts Savings Rate To Its Highest Since 1993

25 Despite Headlines About New Record Drops, Europe Is Healing   
25 U.S. Initial Jobless Insurance Claims Edge Up To Highest in Four Weeks
25

Decline in U.S. 1Q GDP Is Trimmed 

24 FOMC Leaves Rates Unchanged
24

U.S. New Home Sales Stay Low As Prices Firm

24

Consumer Confidence Recovers In Italy

24

U.S. Durable Goods Orders Surprisingly Strong For A Second Month

23

Europe Continues to Make a Turn Higher: Sector Results Turn Mixed in June

23

French Business Confidence: Viewed By Entrepreneurs And Purchasing Managers

23

U.S. Mortgage Applications Collapse As Higher Rates Stymie Refinancing

23

Gasoline Prices Off Sharply With Weaker Economic News 

23

U.S. Existing Home Sales Rise With Affordability And Tax Credit

22 EMU Trade Balance Deficit For Goods Shrinks
22

German Business Confidence Improving But Still Subdued

19

UK Retail Sales Fall And Markets Quiver 

19 U.S. Consumers' Quest For Value
19 Gains in Weekly Chain Store Sales Fade
18

U.S. Leading Indicators Rise Sharply For A Second Month

18

Philadelphia Fed Index Improves Sharply

18

U.S. Initial Jobless Insurance Claims Trend Lower But Edge Up In Latest Week

17 U.S. 1Q'09 Current Account Deficit Shrinks To Smallest Since 2001
17

U.S. May CPI Ticks Up, But 1.2% Drop Y/Y Is Largest Since April 1950

16 Gasoline Prices Reach The Highest Level Since Last October
16

Optimism Increases Among German Investors and Analysts

16

U.S. Housing Starts Recover Modestly

16

U.S. Factory Production Decline Resumes, Matching 1946 Yr/Yr Drop

16

U.S. PPI Decline Yr-to-Yr Matches '49 Record; Core Pricing Power Evaporates

15

EMU Job Market Has Record Q1 Job Loss

15

U.S. Home Builders’ Index Slips

15

Empire State Factory Conditions Deteriorated M/M But Remain Improved From Earlier Low

12

Michigan Consumer Sentiment Stable But The Current View of Economic Conditions Jumps

12 IP Still Falling in Euro Area: but Evidence of Slowing
12 U.S. Import Prices Rise With Higher Oil Prices
12 U.S. Flow of Funds Indicate Further Shrinkage of Balance Sheets
11 U.S. Business Inventory Decumulation Remains Strong and Steady
11 U.S. Retail Sales Rise With Higher Gas Prices; Underlying Trend Is Flat
11 U.S. Initial Jobless Insurance Claims Fall To Their Lowest Since January
10 Industrial Production’s Slide Begins To Taper Off...For Some 
10 Trade Deficit Edged Higher As Revision Impact On Data Is Minor
9 German IP Still Dropping Sharply
9 German Orders: Big Surprise Comes in Small Package
9

More First Quarter GDP Results

8

OECD Leading Indicators:  Signs of Recovery

5

UK PPI Prices: Decelerating Even As They Accelerate!

5

Payroll Losses Slow As Unemployment Rate Jumps

4

EMU Retail Sales Volumes Erode At Slow Pace   

4

U.S. Worker Productivity Increase Stronger, But Underlying Cost Pressures Mount

4

U.S. Initial Unemployment Insurance Claims Slip

3

U.S. ISM Nonmanufacturing Index Improves Further

3

Markit's Service PMI Rises In EMU But Still Shows Contraction

3

ADP Report: Rate Of Job Loss Moderates

3

U.S. May Light Vehicle Sales Recover Only To Low March Level

3

Challenger Layoffs Continue To Indicate Job Market Improvement

2

U-Rates On The Rise

2

U.S. Pending Home Sales Rise To Their Highest Level Since September

2

Gasoline Prices Rise Further Reflecting Strength In Crude Oil Prices

2

U.S. Chain Store Sales Backpedal

1 U.S. Construction Spending Increases Modestly
1 ISM Index Suggests Downturn In Factory Sector Is Easing
1 Encouraging News From UK's Hometrack Housing Survey
1 UK MFG Is On The Mend... So Is Europe And The US
1

U.S. Savings Rate Still Rising As Consumers Remain Cautious

May 2009
29

German Retail Sales Lose Some Weakness

29 Michigan Consumer Sentiment Rose Throughout May
29 U.S. 1Q GDP Decline Lessened, Yet Two-Quarter Drop Rivals 1958 Stats
28

U.S. Durable Goods Orders Recover Earlier Decline And Are Up Slightly 'YTD

28 French Consumer Begins To Feel Less Stressed
28 U.S. Initial Jobless Insurance Claims Slip Again Though Continuing Claims Reach Another Record
28 U.S. New Home Sales Form A Bottom While The Level of Unsold Homes Is At Its Lowest Since 2001
27

U.S. Chain Store Sales Recover

27

U.S. Existing Home Sales Rise As Home Affordability Increases

27 Gasoline Prices Reach Their Highest Level Since October
26 U.S. Consumer Confidence Increases Again On Improved Expectations
26 German May Business Confidence Less Negative: Q1 GDP SAAR of Decline Biggest Since Data Began in 1970
26 IFO Shows Sector Indices Have Bottomed...Maybe
26 Orders In Near Collapse Then (Negative) Growth Rates Stabilize
26

Case-Shiller Home Price Index Is Down By Nearly One-Third From 2006 Peak

26

Chicago Fed Index Improved To Highest Level Since October

21

Japan GDP In Record Drop As Trade Collapses 

21

Philadelphia Fed Index Indicates A Slowing Rate Of Decline In Economic Activity

21

U.S. Leading Indicators Improve Sharply To The Highest Level Since November

21 U.S. Continuing Claims For Unemployment Insurance Reach Another Record
20

Japan GDP in Record Drop As Trade Collapses

20

U.S. Mortgage Applications Firm As Refinancings Remain High But Purchase Apps Lag

19

German Investors And Financial Analysts More Optimistic

19

U.S. Chain Store Sales Reverse Earlier Gains

19 Gasoline Prices Continue To Move Higher
19

U.S. Housing Starts' Fall To Record Low Paced By Lower Multi-family Building

18

News From Eastern Europe Still Mainly Negative

18

Japan's Consumer Confidence Is Up For The Fourth Month In A Row

18

U.S. Home Builders’ Index Increases Again

15

U.S. Factory Production Shortfall Eases

15 Michigan Consumer Sentiment Up On Improved Expectations With Heightened Hopes For Gov't Policy
15

EMU GDP Drops Sharply

15

U.S. CPI Unchanged in April; Year-to-Year Drop of 0.7% Is Largest Since 1955

14

Real Euro Digs In Its Heels Despite Weak Growth 

14

U.S. PPI Firms With Higher Food Prices, Core Price Gains Still Trending Lower

14

U.S. Initial Weekly Claims For Jobless Insurance Rebound But Still Trending Lower

13 U.S. Business Inventory Decumulation Intensifies 
13 E- Area IP Drops Again All Sectors Still Weak
13 U.S. Retail Sales Decline For A Second Month
12 U.S. Small Business Optimism Recovers
12 U.S. Chain Store Sales Rise Further
12 Gasoline Prices Rise To Their Highest Since Early-November
12

The UK Halts Its String Of MFG Output Declines

12

U.S. Trade Deficit Remains Stable and Near Its Lowest Since 1999

11 March Industrial Production Data For Italy And France
11

Liquidity, Exchange Rates & Commodity Prices Point Toward U.S. Economic Improvement

11 OECD LEIs The Long View 
8 German Industrial Output Halts Its Strong Of Declines
8

Bad News:  U.S. Jobless Rate Jumps to 8.9%Good News:  Speed of Job Losses Ease

7 German Orders In Surprise Rebound
7 U.S. Initial Claims for Unemployment Insurance Fall Further
7

U.S. Worker Productivity Inches Up, But Underlying Cost Pressures Mount

6

Commodity Prices And Exchange Rates

6

EMU Services: In Near Lockstep With US

6

U.S. Weekly Mortgage Applications Stabilize

6 Challenger Layoffs Also Show Job Market Improvement
6

ADP Report: Rate Of Job Loss Slowed During April

5

Sharp, Widespread, PPI Drop Puts ECB On The Spot For A Rate Cut

5 U.S. Chain Store Sales Rise Again
5 Petroleum Prices Move Higher
5

U.S. ISM Nonmanufacturing Index Recovers To Highest Level Since October

4 Europe Begins to Cut Its Losses
4 Most April Manufacturing PMI's Show a Lessening of Contraction: India's and China's Show Expansion
4

U.S. Construction Spending Improvement Due to Nonresidential & Public Sector Gains

4

U.S. Pending Home Sales Rise For A Second Month

4

U.S. Light Vehicle Sales Remain Depressed As Import Sales Lowest Since 1999

1

Michigan Consumer Sentiment Improves Further To Highest Since September

1

U.S. Factory Inventory Decumulation Continues Strong

1

ISM Index Suggests Modest Slowing Of Factory Sector Downturn

April 2009
30

U.S. Employment Cost Index Increase Slackens To New Low

30

U.S. Personal Spending & Income Still Under Pressure

30

Japan IP Slows Its Rate Of Decline... In Monthly Trends Only 

30

U.S. Initial Claims for Jobless Insurance Fall As Continuing Claims Reach Another Record

29

U.S. Weekly Mortgage Applications Fall As Refinancings Lag

29

FOMC Leaves Rates Unchanged

29

U.S. GDP Declines 6.1% In 1Q As Inventory Cutbacks Weigh Heavily 

28 Japan Retail Sales Continue to Drop 
28 More Retailers in the U.K. Report Increases in Sales versus a Year Ago than Those Reporting Decreases
28

U.S. Consumer Confidence Jumps Sharply With Improved Expectations

28

Gasoline Prices Continue To Hover Just Over $2.00 Per Gallon

28

U.S. Chain Store Sales Firm During April

28

Case-Shiller Home Price Index Falls Further

27

South Korea's GDP Increases in Q1 09, but is Still at Recession Levels

27

U.S. Misery Index Falls Sharply With Lower Energy Prices

27 Consumer Confidence Improves Sharply In Italy 
27

IFO Is Up In Month Diffusion, Indices Gain Too

24 U.S. New Home Sales Form A Bottom
24 U.S. Durable Goods Orders Slip; Trend Still Sharply Negative
23 U.S. Existing Home Sales Slip During March As Prices Firm
23 Euro Area PMIs Are Still Low-Valued But Jump
23 U.S. Continuing Claims for Jobless Insurance Reach Another Record
22 UK Unemployment Continues To Soar (Sour)
21 Optimists Exceed Pessimists Among German Investors And Analysts For The First Time Since July 2007
21

Gasoline Prices Remain Steady Around $2.00 Per Gallon

20 French and Italian Orders: Some Divergence Between These Siamese Twins
20 Chicago Fed Index Remained Negative In March
20 U.S. Leading Indicators Fall To The Lowest Level Since 2003
17

EMU Trade Deficit Improves But Picture Does Not  

17

MAPI Survey Indicates Deepening Stress in the Factory Sector

17

Michigan Consumer Sentiment Improves Again

16

U.S. Initial Claims for Unemployment Insurance Fall Back

16 Philadelphia Fed Index Indicates Further Economic Contraction
16 Euro Area IP Plunges
16 U.S. Housing Starts Fall to Second Lowest Level on Record But Bottom May Be Forming
15 U.S. Factory Output Decline Is The Sharpest Since The Deindustrialization After WWII
15 Japan's Retail Sales Drop 
15 12-Month Decline In U.S. CPI A First Since 1958 And Owes To Energy & Food Prices 
14 Singapore's GDP To Decline 6% To 9% In 2009 Says Ministry Of Trade And Industry
14 U.S. Businesses Inventories Fall Further
14 U.S. Finished Goods PPI Falls Unexpectedly While Core Prices Remain Stable
14 French Exports And Imports Drop
14 U.S. Retail Sales Backpedal
13 China's March Exports Up Close to 40%:  Imports Up 20%
13 OECD LEI's Are Sinking At The Fastest Pace In Over 40 Years
13 U.S. Budget Deficit Broaches $1 Trillion With TARP Spending
9

Oil Lifts U.S. Import Costs While Nonoil Prices Fall For Eighth Month

9

U.S. Initial Claims for Jobless Insurance Back Off From High; Continuing Claims Double Last Year's Level 

9

German IP Drops Sharply Again 

9

U.S. Trade Deficit Falls Further To Lowest Since 1999

8

UK Industrial Output Falls Again

8

German New Orders: Halt! 

8

U.S. Weekly Mortgage Applications Jump Higher As Refi's More Than Double

7

News from Australia and New Zealand 

7

Consumer Credit Usage Remains Negative

7 JOLTS: U.S. Job Openings Tick Higher In February But Remain Off By One-Third Y/Y
7

U.S. Chain Store Sales Pick Up Early This Month

7

Gasoline Prices Hold Prior Weeks' Gains

6

Retail Sales Continue To Fall In The Euro Area 

6

Euro Area Inflation Is Still Dropping Fast  

3

Market Services PMIs Turn Higher In March

3

U.S. Jobless Rate Reaches 8.5%; 5.1 Million Payroll Jobs Are Lost Since Cycle Peak

3

U.S. ISM Nonmanufacturing Index Falls Again

2

French PPI Shows Year/Year Weakness 

2

U.S. Factory Inventory Decumulation At A Record Pace

2

March U.S. Light Vehicle Sales Increase From 27-Year Low

2 U.S. Initial Claims for Jobless Insurance Rise To The Highest Level Since 1982; Continuing Claims Reach A Record 
1

U.S. Pending Home Sales Tick Higher

1

U.S. Construction Spending; A More Moderate Decline

1

Challenger Layoffs Ease Slightly Second Month

1

Japan TANKAN Makes Heavy Weight for Pre-Summit  

1

Rise In ISM Index Suggests Factory Sector Stabilization

1

ADP Report: Payroll Employment Down Another 742,000

March 2009
31 Turkey -- Another Emerging Economy Reports A Dismal 4Th Quarter Gross Domestic Product 
31

Flash Dance - Inflation Waltzes to New Lows as Risk Soars to Dizzying Heights

31

U.S. Consumer Confidence Stabilizes Near Record Low

31

Petroleum Prices Strengthen, Then Fall Back

31

Case-Shiller Home Price Index Falls Further

30

EMU Still Sinking In EU Index Report

30

Commodity Prices Meander

30 Has Japanese Industrial Production Bottomed?
27

EMU Orders: Still Sinking Fast

27

Michigan Consumer Sentiment Improves As The Opinion Of Government Jumps

27

U.S. Personal Spending Increases Again, Modestly

26

UK Retail Sales Fall But Trend Holds Up

26 U.S. Continuing Claims for Unemployment Insurance Reach Another Record High
26 U.S. 4Q GDP Decline Remains Sharpest Since Early 1980s As Profits Crater
25

IFO Index Drops But Sentiment Drops But Sentiment Makes Some Gai

25

U.S. New Home Sales Step Up From Record Low

25

Rise in U.S. Durable Goods Orders Surprises

24 Flash PMIs Bottom Out
24

UK Inflation Accelerates 

24

Confidence Among French Manufacturers Stays at Record Low Levels 

24

U.S. Chain Store Sales Lose Earlier Momentum

24

Petroleum Prices Strengthen On Potential Tightening Of Crude Supplies

23 Shrinking World Trade: Evidence From Euro Area
23 February U.S. Existing Home Sales Recover January Decline as Prices Remain Weak
23 Chicago Fed Index Improved Marginally During February
20 IP In Zone In Record Drop 
20 U.S. 2008 Current Account Deficit Shrinks To Smallest Since 2004
19 Philadelphia Fed Index Indicates Further Economic Contraction
19 U.S. Leading Indicators Fall To Cycle Low
19 UK Orders Decline To New Low But Pace Of Decline Slows... Sort Of 
19 U.S. Continuing Claims for Unemployment Insurance Touch New Record
18

January IP Drops but the Pace of Decline Slows

18 FOMC Leaves Rates Unchanged At Historically Low Level; Fed's Balance Sheet Expanded
18 Higher Energy Prices Lift U.S. CPI By Most Since July; Core Pricing Power Firm
17

ZEW Survey:  German Finance Types More Pessimistic On Current Conditions, Less Pessimistic On Expectations 

17

Surprising Rebound In U.S. Housing Starts Owes To Multi-Family

17

U.S. Gasoline Prices Dip While Crude Oil Prices Rise

17 U.S. Finished Goods PPI Rises Modestly; "Downstream" Pricing Remains Weak
16

U.S. Home Builders’ Index Still Under Extreme Pressure

16

HICP Is Behaving Despite Month's Rise  

16

Employment In The Euro Area 

16

The Empire State Index Reaches New Low

16

Skid in U.S. Factory Output Is Sharpest Since 1975; Utilization Rate Reaches Record Low

13

E- Area Retailing Remains Weak 

13

U.S. Import Prices Move Lower Despite Higher Oil Prices

13

Michigan Consumer Sentiment Stays Stable; Opinion of Government Jumps

13 U.S. Trade Deficit Shrinks To Lowest Since 2002
12 U.S. Flow of Funds: Deleveraging Occurs As Asset Values Decline
12 U.S. Businesses Shed Inventories at a Rapid Rate
12

German IP Sinks Sharply 

12

U.S. Claims For Jobless Insurance Reach Another Record High

12 U.S. Retail Sales Excluding Autos Rise; Revisions Sharply Higher 
11

U.S. Budget Deficit Grows Sharply With Recession & TARP

11

UK Trade Picture Show More Deterioration

11 JOLTS: U.S. Job Openings Fall Further
11 U.S. Weekly Mortgage Applications Rise
10 Manpower Survey: 2Q09 Employment Seen As Weakest Since Credit Crunch Recession
10

IP Drops Sharply in the Euro Area’s Early Reports

10

Foreign Trade in France and Germany: Casualties of the Recession

10

U.S. Small Business Optimism Nearing All-time Low

10

U.S. Gasoline Prices Are Stable; Crude Oil Prices Rise

10

U.S. Chain Store Sales Are Up in Early March

9 Japan Starts 2009 with a Current Account Deficit 
9 Some Further Rebounding from Japan’s Economy Watchers Index
6 OECD LEI's Show Severe And Worsening Downturn
6 U.S. Unemployment Rate of 8.1% Highest Since 1983
5

U.S. Factory Inventories Fell A Fifth Month, Shipments Off 15.6% Y/Y

5 U.S. 4Q Worker Productivity Revised Down Sharply
5 U.S. Initial Claims For Jobless Insurance Fell Back
4

EMU Services Contract as UK Sector Cuts Losses 

4 ADP Report: Payroll Employment Off 697,000
4 U.S. ISM Nonmanufacturing Index Eased Slightly
4 Challenger Layoffs Eased Somewhat
3 February U.S. Light Vehicle Sales Lower Still
3 Australia's Central Bank Takes A Breather: Economy Responding To Monetary And Fiscal Stimulus 
3 Swiss GDP: In The Soup With The Rest Of Europe  
3

U.S. Gasoline Prices Remained Just Above $1.90; Demand Stabilizing

3

U.S. Chain Store Sales Dipped Last Week, But Rose For The Month

3

U.S. Construction Spending Fell Further

3 U.S. Pending Home Sales Fell To Record Low; Falling Rates & Prices Push Affordability to New High
2

Euro Area MFG PMIs Drop

2 South Korea: Industrial Production Improves a Bit; Exports in Won Rise, but in USD, Fall
2

U.S. January Personal Savings Rate Highest Since 1995

2

ISM Index Flat Month-To-Month, Still Near Low

February 2009
27

Deflation Is Back!

27

Michigan Consumer Sentiment Estimate Little Changed At Lowest Since 1980

27 U.S. 4Q GDP Revised Down To Show Sharpest Drop Since 1980
26

EU/EMU Indices Crash Again In February

26

U.S. New Home Sales Lowest Since 1963

26 U.S. Initial Claims For Unemployment Insurance Highest Since 1982; Continuing Claims Another Record
26 U.S. Durable Goods Orders Lowest in Six Years; Latest Six-Month Decline a Record
25

Yen-Based Japan Exports Are Cut Nearly In Half

25

U.S. Mortgage Applications Fall: Refi's & Purchase Applications Off

25

January U.S. Existing Home Sales & Prices Fell

24 German IFO Survey Shows Little Change in the Dismal Appraisal of the Business Climate 
24 U.S. Consumer Confidence Fell To A Record Low
24

U.S. Chain Store Sales Up Again Last Week

24

Case-Shiller Home Price Index Fell A Record 18.5% Last Year

24

U.S. Gasoline Prices Dipped

23

Italy’s Inflation Rates Show Turn of Trend

23 Can The Baltic States Hold Their Currency Pegs?
23

Economists Forecast Moderate Rebound in Second Half

23

Chicago Fed Index Fell Further

20

Philadelphia Fed Index Lowest Since 1990

20

Euro Area PMI's Continue To Drop... Very Sharply

20

U.S. CPI Ticked Up

19 U.S. Initial Claims For Jobless Insurance High and Stable
19 U.S. Leading Indicators Rose Slightly
19 Italy's Trade Flows Dive In December  
19 U.S. PPI Firmer Than Expected
18 U.S. Factory Output Down Sharply Again in January; Off 10.0% Y/Y
18 U.S. Import Price Decline Quickened
18 CBI Finds Further Weakening 
18 U.S. Housing Starts Plumb Another Record Low
17 U.S. Home Builders’ Survey Ticked Up Slightly
17 Exports and Imports Plunge in the Euro Area as Deficit Contracts
17 German Investors Begin To See A Ray Of Hope For The Economy
17 U.S. Empire State Index Fell To A New Low
16

Data Confirm Worst Fears Of Rapid Decline In Japanese Economy

13

GDP In EMU Falls Hard In 2008-Q4

13

Michigan Consumer Sentiment Sinks to Its Lowest Since 1980

12 U.S. Business Inventory Cutbacks Gained Steam
12 U.S. Initial Claims For Unemployment Insurance Slipped From Recent High
12 Industrial Production Drops Sharply Across Sectors in the Euro Area
12 U.S. Retail Sales Recover Modestly Following Six Months of Decline
11 U.S. Budget Deficit Surges As Revenues Collapse & Spending Jumps
11 France: INSEE Business Indicator Stops Falling
11 U.S. Trade Deficit Narrowed Further With Global Recession and Lower Oil Prices
10

Industrial Production Plunges in Main EMU Countries and Beyond

10

Sweden's Activity Index Points to a 5% + Annual Rate of Decline in Fourth Quarter GDP 

10 U.S. Small Business Optimism Fell Even Further; Pricing At All-time Low
10 U.S. Gasoline Prices Highest Since December
10 U.S. Chain Store Sales Continued Unchanged Last Week
9 Economic Activity in Japan Speeds Downhill in Q4
9 Consumer Credit Growth Under Wraps
6

Industrial Production Sectors All Dropping Fast

6 U.S. Payrolls Slashed 598,000; Jobless Rate Rose To 7.6%
5

U.S. Factory Inventories Lower Still

5

U.S. Worker Productivity Growth Up, Unit Costs Ease

5

U.S. Initial Claims For Jobless Insurance Highest Since 1982, Continuing Claims Reach Another Record

4

Challenger Layoffs Highest Since 2002

4 U.S. ISM Nonmanufacturing Index Moved Higher Again
4 EMU Services PMI's Slow Descent Signal In January
4 EMU Consumer Spending Tanks Along With Spending Plans
4 ADP Report: Payroll Employment Fell Another 522,000
4 January U.S. Light Vehicle Sales Lowest Since 1982
3 U.S. Pending Home Sales Up in December But Down For 2008. Affordability At New High With Lower Rates & Prices
3 Recession Comes to Brazil
3 PPI For Euro Area Is Plunging
3 German Retail Sales Head South For The Winter
3 U.S. Chain Store Sales Recovered Last Week
3 U.S. Gasoline Prices Up Again
2 South Korean Exports Plummet: Sharp Fall in Exports to Pacific Rim
2 MFG PMIs Stop Their Descent
2 U.S. December Income, Consumption & Prices Fell While Savings Rose
2

ISM Index Improved Slightly From Historic Low

January 2009
30 Japan Hits The Skids Hard In December
30 EU Index At Record Low 
30 Michigan Consumer Sentiment Up Slightly In January, Yet Still Near Series' Low
30

U.S. Employment Cost Index Increase Eased Slightly During 4Q; 2008 Gain A Record Low

30 U.S. Recession Intensifies; 3.8% Drop in Real GDP Is Sharpest Since 1982
29

December U.S. New Home Sales Lowest Since 1963

29

U.S. Durable Goods Orders Slumped Further

29 U.S. Weekly Continuing Claims For Jobless Insurance At Record High
28 FOMC Leaves Rates Unchanged
28 Italy's Business Confidence Continues To Drop
28 U.S. Mortgage Applications Fall as Refinancing Boom Ends
27

German Biz Confidence In a Small Rebound: What's All the Fuss?

27

U.S. Chain Store Sales Fell Back; 2.4% Yearly Decline a Record

27

U.S. Gasoline Price Rise Stabilized

27

Case-Shiller Home Price Index Fell A Record 18.2%

27

Consumer Confidence Fell To A Record Low 

26

Deterioration in World Trade Continues: the News from Sweden   

26

Canada's Mixed Inflation Picture...

26

Chicago Fed Index Well Into Recession Territory

26

U.S. Leading Indicators Rose Slightly

26 U.S. Existing Home Sales Rose Last Month
23 PMI Indices for EMU Bounce – Dead Cat or Live One?
23

Consensus Forecast for 4Q GDP: Activity Down 5%

22 Euro Area Orders Drop Sharply...Again
22 U.S. Weekly Claims For Jobless Insurance Highest Since 1982
22 U.S. Gasoline Prices Up Again
22 U.S. Home Builders’ Survey At Record Low
22 U.S. Housing Starts At Record Low
21

German PPI Points To Lower Inflation Ahead  

21

Italy's Trade Picture Deteriorates  

21

U.S. Chain Store Sales Recover Modestly

20

Germany's Zew Indicators: Expectations Less Pessimistic Current Conditions Continue To Worsen

20

U.S. Budget Deficit Above $1 Trillion This Year

19 Japanese Mining and Manufacturing Producers in a Free Fall in November  
16 Michigan Consumer Sentiment Up Again In Early January Yet Still Near The Series' Low
16 U.S. Factory Output Fell Again in December; 2008 Decline The Largest Since 1975
16 EMU Trade Deficit Widens: Exports and Imports Collapse  
16 U.S. CPI Fell A Third Month Due To Lower Energy Prices
15

Core Inflation in the EMU and in the US Falling Together… at Last

15 Philadelphia Fed Index Improved Slightly But Still Low
15 U.S. Weekly Claims For Jobless Insurance Back Up
15 U.S. December PPI Fell Again; 2008 Strength in Pricing Abruptly Ends
14 U.S. Business Inventories Fell Further
14 U.S. Import Prices Down Sharply Again: Both Oil & Nonoil
14 EMU Industrial Production is Plunging
14 The Dismal Christmas: U.S. Retail Sales Fell Sharply
13 Grim News from the UK 
13

U.S. Budget Deficit Continued To Swell Toward A Record

13

JOLTS: U.S. Job Openings Lowest Since 2003

13

U.S. Small Business Optimism Fell Further to Near All-time Low; Pricing At All-time Low

13

U.S. Gasoline Prices Again Moved Higher

13

Economy Watchers Index Drops Sharply

13

U.S. Trade Deficit Narrowed Sharply With Recession and Lower Oil Prices

12

Industrial Production: India, China, South Korea

12

OECD LEIS Sink and Signal a More Impressive Slowdown

9 Industrial Output Falls Hard Across Europe
9 U.S. Payrolls Slashed 524,000; 7.2% Jobless Rate Highest Since 1993
8 EMU is on an All-time Low for Sentiment 
8

Germany Posts Terrible Orders 

8

Credit Cards Pocketed; The Frugal U.S. Consumer

8

U.S. Weekly Claims For Jobless Insurance Fell Further

7

Euro Area PPI Inflation Drops Sharply… or Does It?

7 U.S. Chain Store Sales Recovering
7 Challenger Layoffs Remained High
7 U.S. Mortgage Applications Fell Slightly Last Week
7 ADP Report: Payroll Employment Fell By 693,000
6

Decline in Production and Lower Inflation in Brazil: A Reduction in the Target Rate (Selic)?

6 U.S. Factory Inventories Fell Again
6

U.S. Gasoline Prices Moved Higher

6

U.S. Pending Home Sales Lower Still

6

U.S. ISM Nonmanufacturing Index Improved Slightly

6

EMU Inflation Falls More Sharply Than Expected

6

Europe's Services PMI At New Low

6

U.S. Light Vehicle Sales Inched Up in December; Down 18.5% For The Full Year

5

More Evidence of Declining Inflation

5 U.S. Construction Spending Off Further Due to Housing Decline
5 U.S. Monetary Policy: Pushing On A String?
5 ISM Index Fell To The Lowest Since 1980