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Economy in Brief
U.S. Retail Sales Increase Steadily
Total retail sales increased 0.3% (5.8% y/y) during December...
U.S. Home Builder Sentiment Eases
The NAHB-Wells Fargo Composite Housing Market Index slipped during January...
Philadelphia Fed Manufacturing Index Strengthens Unexpectedly; Pricing Improves
The Philadelphia Fed reported that its General Factory Sector Business Conditions Index surged to 17.0 during January...
U.S. Business Inventories Slip While Sales Rise
total business inventories decreased 0.2% (2.8% y/y) after October's 0.1% rise...
U.S. Initial Claims for Jobless Insurance Ease and Continuing Claims Fall Back
Initial claims for unemployment insurance decreased 10,000 to 204,000 (-6.0% y/y) in the week ended January 11...
by Tom Moeller April 27, 2012
The University of Michigan's Index of Consumer Sentiment for all of April improved to 76.4 versus 75.7 at mid-month and 76.2 in March. The figure compared to expectations for 75.7. The reading of current economic conditions rose from mid-month but fell versus March to 82.9, its lowest since December. The consumer expectation figure held constant at 72.3, 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.
| University of
Michigan (Q1'66 = 100) |
Apr | Mid-Apr | Mar | Feb | Apr Y/Y % |
2011 | 2010 | 2009 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Consumer Sentiment | 76.4 | 75.7 | 76.2 | 75.3 | 9.5 | 67.3 | 71.8 | 66.3 |
| Current Economic Conditions | 82.9 | 80.6 | 86.0 | 83.0 | 0.5 | 79.1 | 80.9 | 69.6 |
| Consumer Expectations | 72.3 | 72.5 | 69.8 | 70.3 | 17.4 | 59.8 | 66.0 | 64.1 |
