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Economy in Brief
Wholesale Inventories Grow While Sales Decline
Wholesale inventories increased 0.8% month-on-month (6.9% year-over-year) during October...
U.S. Consumer Credit Usage Expands
Consumer credit outstanding increased $25.38 billion during October...
German IP Takes Surprising October Slip
Germany's industrial production slowed to a gain of only 0.1% in September then dropped by 0.5% in October...
U.S. Trade Deficit Widens to 10-Year High; Record Goods Shortfall
The U.S. trade deficit in goods and services widened for the fifth consecutive month to $55.49 billion in October...
U.S. ADP Private Sector Payroll Growth Eases
The ADP National Employment Report indicated that private nonfarm payrolls increased 179,000 during November...
by Tom Moeller April 13, 2012
The University of Michigan's Index of Consumer Sentiment for mid-April slipped to 75.7 from 76.2 in March. The figure compared to expectations for a rise to 77.0. The reading of current economic conditions fell to 80.6 which was its lowest since December. The consumer expectation figure rose to 72.5, its highest since September 2009. During the last ten years there has been a 60% correlation between the level of sentiment and the three-month change in real personal consumption expenditures.
The Reuters/University of Michigan survey data are not seasonally adjusted. The readings are based on telephone interviews with just- over 300 households. Data are in Haver's USECON database. The expectations figure is from Action Economics and is found in Haver's AS1REPNA database.
The Fed's latest Beige Book covering regional economic conditions is available here.
| University of
Michigan (Q1'66 = 100) |
Mid-Apr | Mar | Feb | Apr Y/Y % |
2011 | 2010 | 2009 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Consumer Sentiment | 75.7 | 76.2 | 75.3 | 8.5 | 67.3 | 71.8 | 66.3 |
| Current Economic Conditions | 80.6 | 86.0 | 83.0 | -2.3 | 79.1 | 80.9 | 69.6 |
| Consumer Expectations | 72.5 | 69.8 | 70.3 | 17.7 | 59.8 | 66.0 | 64.1 |
