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

• Global| Feb 26 2021

  Goods Trade Deficit Widened Slightly in January

  • A small narrowing had been expected. • Both exports and imports increased but at a slower pace than in December. • Net exports begin Q1 on course to be a slight drag on overall GDP growth in Q1. The advance estimate of the U.S. [...]

  by:Sandy Batten

  |in:Economy in Brief
• Global| Feb 25 2021

  Aircraft Orders Boost U.S. Durable Goods Orders in January

  • Orders increase a much larger-than-expected 3.4% m/m, led by a 148% m/m surge in aircraft orders. • Orders ex transportation up a solid 1.4% m/m. • Core capital shipments rise 2.1% m/m, offering a great start to Q1. Manufacturers' [...]

  by:Sandy Batten

  |in:Economy in Brief
• Global| Feb 23 2021

  U.S. FHFA House Price Index Continues to Rise Markedly

  • House prices rose 1.1% m/m, the seventh consecutive monthly increase of 1.0% or more. • Prices were up 11.4% y/y, a series record annual increase dating back to 1991. • For all of 2020, prices rose 7.7% despite the pandemic. The [...]

  by:Sandy Batten

  |in:Economy in Brief
• Global| Feb 18 2021

  TT

  • • PREVIOUS>>>>>>>>>Import prices grew a greater-than-expected 0.9% during December (-0.3% year-on-year)...... PREVIOUS>>>>>>Export prices increased 1.1% in December (0.2% y/y)......... The import and export price series can be found [...]

  by:Sandy Batten

  |in:Economy in Brief
• Global| Feb 18 2021

  U.S. Import and Export Prices Jump Up Again in January

  • Import prices rose 1.4% in January with fuel prices up 7.4%. • Export prices increased 2.5%, the largest monthly increase in the series history. • Higher prices for industrial supplies were a key driver of the increases for both [...]

  by:Sandy Batten

  |in:Economy in Brief
• Global| Feb 17 2021

  U.S. Retail Sales Soar Much More than Expected in January

  • • PREVIOUS>>>>>Total retail sales including food service & drinking establishments declined 0.7% (+2.9% y/y) during December.......... The retail sales data can be found in Haver's USECON database. The Action Economics forecast is [...]

  by:Sandy Batten

  |in:Economy in Brief
• Global| Feb 17 2021

  U.S. Industrial Production Beats Expectations in January

  • Production up 0.9%, more than twice expectations. • Led by a 1.0% m/m gain in manufacturing output; motor vehicle output down for fifth month of past six. • Manufacturing output only 1% below pre-pandemic level. Industrial [...]

  by:Sandy Batten

  |in:Economy in Brief
• Global| Feb 17 2021

  U.S. Retail Sales Soar Much More than Expected in January

  • After three consecutive monthly declines, retail spending rebounded strongly in January. • Rebound aided by another round of stimulus checks from the federal government. • The January surge in spending was widespread across [...]

  by:Sandy Batten

  |in:Economy in Brief
• Global| Feb 10 2021

  U.S. Mortgage Applications Drop on Mostly Higher Rates

  • Applications for both new purchases and refinancing fell. • Mortgage interest rates generally rose. The Mortgage Bankers Association Mortgage Loan Applications Index declined 4.1% w/w (+36.4% y/y) in the week ended February 5 after [...]

  by:Sandy Batten

  |in:Economy in Brief
• Global| Feb 09 2021

  TT

  • • PREVIOUS>>>>>The price of regular gasoline increased to $2.41 per gallon (-1.9% y/y) in the week ended February 1................ These data are reported by the U.S. Department of Energy. The price data can be found in Haver's [...]

  by:Sandy Batten

  |in:Economy in Brief
• Global| Feb 09 2021

  U.S. Energy Prices Jump Up Last Week

  • Gasoline prices rise to highest level in nearly a year. • Oil prices post first y/y increase since January 2020. • Natural gas prices jump up to highest level since March 2019. The price of regular gasoline increased to $2.46 per [...]

  by:Sandy Batten

  |in:Economy in Brief
• Global| Feb 03 2021

  U.S. Mortgage Applications Rebound

  • Led by surge in refinancing applications; purchase applications little changed. • Fixed mortgage interest rates mixed while adjustable rates jumped up. The Mortgage Bankers Association Mortgage Loan Applications Index rebounded in [...]

  by:Sandy Batten

  |in:Economy in Brief