Haver Analytics
Haver Analytics

Introducing

Sandy Batten

in:Our Authors

Sandy Batten has more than 30 years of experience analyzing industrial economies and financial markets and a wide range of experience across the financial services sector, government, and academia.   Before joining Haver Analytics, Sandy was a Vice President and Senior Economist at Citibank; Senior Credit Market Analyst at CDC Investment Management, Managing Director at Bear Stearns, and Executive Director at JPMorgan.   In 2008, Sandy was named the most accurate US forecaster by the National Association for Business Economics. He is a member of the New York Forecasters Club, NABE, and the American Economic Association.   Prior to his time in the financial services sector, Sandy was a Research Officer at the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, Senior Staff Economist on the President’s Council of Economic Advisors, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Economic Policy at the US Treasury, and Economist at the International Monetary Fund. Sandy has taught economics at St. Louis University, Denison University, and Muskingun College. He has published numerous peer-reviewed articles in a wide range of academic publications. He has a B.A. in economics from the University of Richmond and a M.A. and Ph.D. in economics from The Ohio State University.  

Publications by Sandy Batten

  • USA    | Oct 15 2025

    U.S. Mortgage Applications Continued to Fall in Latest Week

    • Mortgage applications fell 1.8% w/w in the week ended October 10, the third consecutive weekly decline.
    • Applications are on a modest uptrend but are still correcting from the outsize jump in mid-September.
    • Fixed mortgage rates were mixed with the 15-year rate down slightly and the 30-year rate unchanged.

    by:Sandy Batten

    |in:Economy in Brief

  • USA    | Oct 14 2025

    U.S. Small Business Optimism Fell in September

    • First decline in three months.
    • Uncertainty rose to the fourth highest levels in series history,
    • Percentage expecting economy to improve fell for the third time in the past four months.
    • Percentage reporting supply chain disruptions jumped 10 points in September.
    • This survey was conducted in September. Whatever impact the federal government shutdown will have will appear in the October survey.

    by:Sandy Batten

    |in:Economy in Brief

  • USA    | Oct 08 2025

    U.S. Mortgage Applications Fell in Latest Week

    • Mortgage applications fell 4.7% w/w in the week ended October 3.
    • Applications are on a modest uptrend but are still correcting from the outsize jump in mid-September.
    • Fixed mortgage rates were mixed with the 15-year rate up a bit and the 30-year rate down slightly.

    by:Sandy Batten

    |in:Economy in Brief

  • USA    | Oct 07 2025

    U.S. Retail Gasoline Prices Unchanged as WTI Price Falls

    • Retail gasoline prices unchanged in latest week.
    • The price of WTI fell to $61.79, its lowest since the week of May 30.
    • The price of natural gas rose 26 cents to $3.16, the highest since July 25.

    by:Sandy Batten

    |in:Economy in Brief

  • USA    | Sep 30 2025

    U.S. JOLTS—Openings Edged Up, Hiring and Layoffs Fell in August

    • Job openings edged up 0.3% m/m in August after declining in both June and July.
    • Openings were less than the number of unemployed for the second consecutive month.
    • Hiring declined 2.2% m/m in August, the fourth consecutive monthly decline.
    • Total separations fell 2.1% m/m, reflecting declines in both quits and layoffs.

    by:Sandy Batten

    |in:Economy in Brief

  • USA    | Sep 26 2025

    U.S. Personal Income and Consumption Post Solid Gains in August; Inflation Edges Up

    • Personal income increased 0.4% m/m but compensation slowed.
    • Real PCE increased 0.3% m/m in August on top of a 0.4% m/m increase in July.
    • July/August real PCE up 2.8% annualized from Q2 average, providing a solid base for Q3 GDP growth.
    • Headline PCE inflation edged up further to the fastest y/y pace since February.

    by:Sandy Batten

    |in:Economy in Brief

  • USA    | Sep 25 2025

    U.S. Advance Durable Goods Orders Unexpectedly Rose in August

    • Durable goods orders unexpectedly rose 2.9% m/m after declines in both June and July.
    • Aircraft orders rose 27% m/m, their first increase in three months.
    • Orders excluding transportation rose 0.4% m/m in August on top of a solid 1.0% monthly gain in July.
    • Core capital goods orders increased 0.6% following a 0.8% rise in July; shipments fell 0.3% m/m, their first decline in four months.

    by:Sandy Batten

    |in:Economy in Brief

  • USA    | Sep 25 2025

    Resilient Consumer Propels Upward Revision to Q2 2025 GDP Growth

    • Real GDP advanced at a 3.8% saar in Q3 in the third estimate, up from 3.3% in the second estimate and 3.0% in the advance report.
    • Stronger consumer spending and business fixed investment were the major factors behind the upward revision.
    • Meaningful upward revisions to measures of aggregate demand.
    • Small upward revision to GDP and PCE inflation.
    • Annual benchmark revision benign; annual real GDP growth from 2019 to 2024 was unrevised at 2.4%.

    by:Sandy Batten

    |in:Economy in Brief

  • USA    | Sep 23 2025

    U.S. Current Account Deficit Narrows Markedly in Q2 2025

    • Goods deficit narrows to smallest since Q4 2023 as goods imports declined 18.4% q/q, reversing the surge in Q1.
    • Services surplus narrowed slightly from record high in Q1.
    • Balance on primary income remained in deficit, a rare occurrence. Secondary income deficit narrowed marginally.
    • Net financial-account transactions were -$406.9 billion in the second quarter, reflecting net U.S. borrowing from foreign residents.

    by:Sandy Batten

    |in:Economy in Brief

  • USA    | Sep 16 2025

    U.S. Import and Export Prices Unexpectedly Rose in August

    • Import prices rose 0.3% m/m in August against expectations of a small decline.
    • The August increase was due to higher prices for nonfuel imports as prices for fuel imports fell for the first time in three months.
    • Export prices also rose 0.3% m/m against expectations of a small decline, reflecting higher prices for nonagricultural exports.

    by:Sandy Batten

    |in:Economy in Brief

  • USA    | Sep 16 2025

    U.S. Business Sales and Inventories Rose in July

    • Total business inventories increased 0.2% m/m in July with increases across sectors.
    • Total business sales climbed 1.0% m/m in July, their largest monthly gain since February.
    • With sales advancing more than inventories, the inventory/sales ratio fell to 1.37, its lowest reading since July 2022.

    by:Sandy Batten

    |in:Economy in Brief

  • USA    | Sep 04 2025

    U.S. Trade Deficit Widened in July

    • The trade deficit widened to $78.3 billion in July from $59.1 billion in June.
    • This was the largest deficit since March.
    • Exports rebounded, increasing by 0.3% m/m after a 0.3% m/m decline in June.
    • Imports surged, rising 5.9% following a 3.6% decline in June.
    • The July import surge was led by imports of industrial supplies.

    by:Sandy Batten

    |in:Economy in Brief