The list of countries reporting steep declines in industrial output continues. In the quarter-to-date (a full quarter now since we have December data) the pace of decline is roughly at a 25% annual rate. And that is steep indeed. [...]
Introducing
Robert Brusca
in:Our Authors
Robert A. Brusca is Chief Economist of Fact and Opinion Economics, a consulting firm he founded in Manhattan. He has been an economist on Wall Street for over 25 years. He has visited central banking and large institutional clients in over 30 countries in his career as an economist. Mr. Brusca was a Divisional Research Chief at the Federal Reserve Bank of NY (Chief of the International Financial markets Division), a Fed Watcher at Irving Trust and Chief Economist at Nikko Securities International. He is widely quoted and appears in various media. Mr. Brusca holds an MA and Ph.D. in economics from Michigan State University and a BA in Economics from the University of Michigan. His research pursues his strong interests in non aligned policy economics as well as international economics. FAO Economics’ research targets investors to assist them in making better investment decisions in stocks, bonds and in a variety of international assets. The company does not manage money and has no conflicts in giving economic advice.
Publications by Robert Brusca
Global| Feb 10 2009IP Plunges in Main EMU Countries and Beyond
- Global| Feb 10 2009
France: Insee Business Indicator Stops Falling
The Insee survey of French industry held steady at a reading of 73, the first time the index did not fall month-to-month since March 2008. The index and its trend are on their lowest reading since 1990 The likely trend reading is in [...]
- Global| Feb 10 2009
IP Plunges in Main EMU Countries and Beyond
The list of countries reporting steep declines in industrial output continues. In the quarter-to-date (a full quarter now since we have December data) the pace of decline is roughly at a 25% annual rate. And that is steep indeed. [...]
- Global| Feb 05 2009
IP Sectors All Dropping Fast
German IP is dropping fast with the headline off by 4.6% in December following a November decline of 3.8%. In the fourth quarter, German IP is falling at a 24.6% annual rate. The steel industry reports orders falling faster than any [...]
- Global| Feb 04 2009
EMU Services PMI's Slow Descent Signal In January
The EMU Services PMIs from Market show continued weakness in EMU and UK service sectors but not accelerating weakness. The signal for the Zone is just one month up from its low. Country indices are low in their respective ranges, but [...]
- Global| Feb 04 2009
EMU Consumer Spending Tanks Along With Spending Plans
The chart at top shows the Yr/Yr trend in EMU consumer spending. It is working its way lower, lead by a declining trend in consumer spending plans. The Yr/Yr drops seem to have stopped to hover around the -2% pace, Yr/Yr. But the [...]
- Global| Feb 03 2009
PPI For E-Zone Is Plunging
Of course the ECB sets its inflation ceiling for the HICP (consumer price index) not for the PPI. Still, the sharp drop in Europes PPI inflation a drop that spreads pretty much across the board (see table) - is simply another [...]
- Global| Feb 03 2009
German Retail Sales Head South For The Winter
German nominal and real ex-auto retail sales are off for the third month in a row. In the fourth quarter nominal retail sales are off at a 4% pace; ex-auto real retail sales are dropping at a 2.1% pace. The sequential growth rates [...]
- Global| Feb 02 2009
MFG PMIs Stop Their Descent
The PMIs for Europe reside very near the bottom of their respective ranges. Generally the readings are bottom 10% of range or less across large EMU members and the UK. Germany is now one of the relative weakest countries on this [...]
- Global| Jan 30 2009
Japan Hits The Skids Hard In December
The drop off in Japan’s industrial production index is now extraordinary as it has posted a month-to-month drop of nearly double digits. Over three months Japan’s IP is plunging at a 58% annual rate. It is also down by 22.5% Yr/Yr. [...]
- Global| Jan 30 2009
EU Index At Record Low
The EU sentiment index has fallen to a record low. Most of its sector readings are on lows as well. Construction, in the lower 13% of its range, is the strongest sector in relative terms. The sentiment indices for the major EMU [...]
- Global| Jan 28 2009
Italy's Business Confidence Continues To Drop
While business sentiment is falling to new lows and very low lows in Italy , the good news is that the pace of decline is letting up. Italy ’s businesses are clearly in bad shape and concerned. But maybe the rate of deterioration and [...]
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