The graphic of the largest global economic regions shows that a powerful expansion is still in place in December. This is despite a spreading Covid-19 and a situation where lockdowns have intensified. But the impact of these lockdowns [...]
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| Jan 04 2021Asian PMIs Rebound
Early reporting Asia economies show that manufacturing PMIs are recovering. In December, the seven early reporters show only Malaysia with a PMI gauge below 50 indicating manufacturing sector contraction. And Malaysia at 49.1 has a [...]
- Global| Dec 31 2020
China's Manufacturing PMI Crests at Weak PMI Level
China's manufacturing PMI backtracked slightly in December, falling to 51.9 after reaching 52.1 in November. It is still above its October level. However, at a level below 52, the indicator is signaling a still very modest [...]
- Global| Dec 30 2020
Sporadic European PPI Data Show Some Inflation
European inflation trends are showing some life, but it is still not much life. It is sporadic and seems to be driven mostly by the oil price cycle, a cycle that is still not looking so good into 2021 so there is probably not much to [...]
- Global| Dec 28 2020
Japan's IP Bounces Back...So Does the Virus
Japan's industrial production index gained 0.2% in November as the manufacturing gauge of IP was flat. Still, these results follow five strong months of output gains in mining and manufacturing. The graph shows that year-on-year [...]
- Global| Dec 22 2020
German Confidence Is Sliding on a Slippery Slope
German confidence in the GfK survey has gone from a highflying set of optimistic readings prior to the Covid-19 crisis to a weak wobbling and slipping assessment of German welfare. The index that assesses economic climate on a scale [...]
- Global| Dec 21 2020
U.K. Retail Signals Are Mixed, Improved from November, and Still Sour
The CBI (Confederation of British Industry) survey of U.K. retailers shows clear December improvement compared to November. All current retail measures are better than in November and the inventory reading is leaner (in fact extremely [...]
- Global| Dec 18 2020
IFO Surprisingly Improves...for Now
The IFO gauge of the German economy, a venerated report on the state of economic conditions in Germany, logged a surprising improvement in December. The climate gauge rose to +5.0 in December from +1.5 in November. The current [...]
- Global| Dec 17 2020
INSEE Survey Shows Gain in Mfg and Sharp Improvement in Services; A Second Rebound... and Still a Massive [...]
Sectors beat up: black and blue French manufacturing and services sectors are stronger month-to-month in the December INSEE surveys. Still, both are well short of where they were before the Covid-19 virus struck. Compared to February, [...]
- Global| Dec 16 2020
Japan's Trade Balance Shifted to a Large Surplus in November As Imports Fell Faster Than Exports
Japan's exports headed lower in November but still commanded a strong growth rate over the last three months. Imports are lower in November by 4%, a large drop; they also are growing over three months but not as robustly as exports. [...]
- Global| Dec 15 2020
EMU Inflation Remains Subdued and Well Below Limit; So What Is and Where Is the Risk?
EMU inflation trends The chart gives the big picture overview of trend based on year-on-year calculation conducted on headline inflation. On that basis, inflation has been well under-wraps. The ECB has not met or exceeded its [...]
- Global| Dec 14 2020
Japan's Tankan and Outlook Improve Despite Ongoing Global Pandemic
Japan's tankan survey for large firms improved this quarter with the current manufacturing index logging a value of -10 compared with -27 last month. The manufacturing outlook improved to -8 from -17 last quarter. The tankan is a [...]
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