Recent Updates
- ** Australia building activity and value of private construction have changed reference year from Q3:15-Q2:16 to Q3:16-Q2:17.**
- Finland: Bankruptcy Filings (Dec)
- Kyrgyz Republic: CPI, PPI (Dec)
- Turkey: House Sales to Foreigners by Nationalities (Dec)
- Denmark: Sales (Nov)
- Estonia: Population (2019-Prelim), Motor Vehicle Registrations (Dec)
- Singapore: Employment Services (Nov)
- more updates...
Economy in Brief
Delay in Release
of Data for Construction, MSIO, Intl Trade, Wholesale Trade, Monthly Treasury, Retail Sales, Business Sales & Inventories, and Housing Starts Due to Lapse in Federal Government Funding.
Empire State Manufacturing Activity Weakens Sharply
The Empire State Manufacturing Index of General Business Conditions declined to 3.9 in January...
U.S. Prices of Energy Products Are Mixed
Gasoline prices averaged a fairly steady $2.25 per gallon this past week (-12.1% y/y)...
EMU Trade Balance Stays Stubbornly Large
The EMU trade balance widened to 15.1 billion euros in November from 13.5 billion euros in October...
FIBER: Industrial Commodity Prices Exhibit Broad-based Weakness
The FIBER Industrial Materials Price Index has been weakening since late-June...
by Tom Moeller June 27, 2005
Liquidity growth in the US has slowed markedly this year versus the charged growth rates during the prior three years. Growth during the last three months in the adjusted monetary base fell to 1.2% versus 5.3% growth last year and 8.6% growth during 2002.
Contributing to this slowdown, if not causing it, has been the increase in the targeted interest rate for Fed funds to 3.0% from 1.0%.
Growth in MZM also has slowed to 0.8% during the last three months versus 3.9% during 2004 and 13.0% growth during 2002. The pickup in the most recent MZM growth rate from below zero may indicate continued life for consumer spending.
A Neutral Federal Funds Rate? from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis can be found here.
| Money Supply | 6/22/05 (13 Week %, AR) | Y/Y | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adjusted Monetary Base | 1.2% | 4.4% | 5.3% | 6.3% | 8.6% |
| MZM | 0.8% | 0.5% | 3.9% | 7.4% | 13.0% |
