Recent Updates
- UK: **Retail Sales rebased to 2016=100**
- Ireland: **GDP Rereferenced to Chained 2016 Euros**
- US: Composite Indexes (Jun)
- Canada: Employment Insurance (May), Nonres Building Construction (Q2)
- US: Philadelphia Fed Business Outlook (Jul)
- Ireland: BOP (Q1)
- Jordan: Tourism; Egypt: Foreign Trade Summary (May)
- UK: Retail Sales (Jun), RICS Commercial Market Survey (Q2)
- Germany: Public Sector Finance (Q1)
- more updates...
Economy in Brief
Philadelphia Fed Factory Conditions Recover; Prices Surge
The Philadelphia Fed reported that its General Factory Sector Business Conditions Index rebounded to 25.7 during July...
U.S. Initial Unemployment Insurance Claims Hit Lowest Since 1969
Initial claims for unemployment insurance dropped to 207,000 during the week ended July 14...
Japan's Trade Deficit Swings Back to Surplus (Small Surplus)
Japan's early June trade results show a goods trade position having swung back to surplus in June from deficit in May...
U.S. Housing Starts Weaken Unexpectedly
Total housing starts declined 12.3% (-4.2% y/y) during June to 1.173 million (AR)...
U.S. Mortgage Loan Applications Reverse Earlier Increase
The MBA total Mortgage Applications Index declined 2.5% last week (-12.8% y/y)...
by Tom Moeller April 18, 2005
The 1Q '05 Composite Business Index published by the Manufacturers' Alliance/MAPI improved slightly to 71 from 70 the prior quarter.
Since 1992 there has been a 68% correlation between the Composite Index Level and quarterly growth in factory sector output.
The current orders index improved a point to 90. The export orders index also nudged up a point to 90, but that was a new record level.
The profit margins index slipped modestly for the second quarter but remained near a record level and capital spending intentions for the coming year fell modestly.
For the latest press release from the MAPI click here. 
| Manufacturers' Alliance/MAPI Survey | 1Q '05 | 4Q '04 | 1Q '04 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Composite Business Index | 71 | 70 | 78 | 76 | 67 | 60 |
