Introducing

Sandy Batten

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| Jun 30 2022

  U.S. Unemployment Claims Edged Down

  • Initial claims decreased 2,000 to 231,000 in the week ended June 25.

  • Continued weeks claimed edged lower and remained in range that prevailed in late 1960s.

  • The insured unemployment rate at series low of 0.9%.

  by:Sandy Batten

  |in:Economy in Brief
• 

  USA| Jun 29 2022

  U.S. Mortgage Applications Continued to Rise, but only Slightly

  • Loan applications increased for third consecutive week.

  • Refinancing applications rebounded while purchase applications were essentially unchanged.

  • Interest rates eased slightly.

  by:Sandy Batten

  |in:Economy in Brief
• 

  USA| Jun 28 2022

  U.S. Energy Prices Decline

  • The AAA retail price of gasoline fell seven cents, its first weekly decline in 10 weeks.

  • Crude oil prices dropped more than $9, their second consecutive weekly decline.

  • Natural gas prices dell $1.50, their third decline in the past four weeks.

  by:Sandy Batten

  |in:Economy in Brief
• 

  USA| Jun 28 2022

  U.S. FHFA House Prices Continued to Rise in April

  • House prices rose to another record level although annual growth slowed slightly.

  • Strength was broad-based across regions.

  by:Sandy Batten

  |in:Economy in Brief
• 

  USA| Jun 23 2022

  U.S. Unemployment Claims Edged Down

  • Initial claims decreased 2,000 to 229,000 in the week ended June 18.

  • Continued weeks claimed edged higher by 5,000, remaining in range that prevailed in late 1960s.

  • The insured unemployment rate held at series low of 0.9%.

  by:Sandy Batten

  |in:Economy in Brief
• 

  USA| Jun 15 2022

  Empire State Manufacturing Index Rebounds Modestly in June

  • General business conditions in the FRBNY district were mostly unchanged in June after having deteriorated markedly in May.
  • New orders and shipments rebounded.
  • Prices paid rose while delivery times fell.

  by:Sandy Batten

  |in:Economy in Brief
• 

  USA| Jun 15 2022

  U.S. Business Inventories and Sales Rose in April

  • Inventories continued to build, but more slowly.
  • Sales growth slowed.
  • Inventory-to-sales ratio edged higher.

  by:Sandy Batten

  |in:Economy in Brief
• 

  USA| Jun 09 2022

  U.S. Unemployment Claims Jump Up

  • Initial claims increased 27,000 to 229,000 in the week ended June 4.
  • Continued weeks claimed were unchanged at the lowest count since late 1969.
  • The insured unemployment rate remained at a series low of 0.9%.

  by:Sandy Batten

  |in:Economy in Brief
• 

  USA| Jun 08 2022

  U.S. Mortgage Applications Fall to 22-year Low

  • Fourth consecutive weekly decline in total applications.
  • Index fell to lowest level since February 2000.
  • Interest rates resumed rise.

  by:Sandy Batten

  |in:Economy in Brief
• 

  USA| Jun 07 2022

  U.S. Energy Prices Mostly Continued to Rise

  • Gasoline prices jumped 26 cents/gallon to another series high.
  • Crude oil prices soared nearly $4/barrel to highest since August 2008.
  • By contrast, natural gas prices eased.

  by:Sandy Batten

  |in:Economy in Brief
• 

  USA| Jun 01 2022

  U.S. Energy Prices Are Still Rising

  • Gasoline prices rose further to another series high.
  • Crude oil prices increased on top of previous week's surge.
  • Apart from one-week spike during the Texas freeze in 2021, natural gas prices rose to highest level since August 2008.

  by:Sandy Batten

  |in:Economy in Brief
• 

  USA| May 31 2022

  Texas Manufacturing Index Enters Negative Territory in May

  • First dip below zero since July 2020.
  • Production and shipments increased while orders and employment fell.
  • Prices paid little changed; prices received edged down.
  • Delivery times shortened markedly.

  by:Sandy Batten

  |in:Economy in Brief