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| Sep 15 2020

  Empire State Manufacturing Much Stronger than Expected in September

  Economic activity in New York surprised market expectations in September with the Empire State General Business Conditions Index, jumping up to 17.0 from 3.7 in August and almost recouping all its lost ground in August. The Action [...]

  by:Sandy Batten

  |in:Economy in Brief
• Global| Sep 03 2020

  U.S. Productivity Revised Up, Unit Labor Costs Revised Down for Q2'20

  • Output per hour growth revised up on a smaller fall in output than initially estimated. • The rise in unit labor costs revised down on stronger productivity and slightly weaker compensation growth. In the second quarter of 2020, [...]

  by:Sandy Batten

  |in:Economy in Brief
• Global| Sep 02 2020

  Mortgage Loan Applications Fell Even as Rates Declined

  • Applications for both purchase and refinancing loans fell. • The rate on the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage declined and is only 3 basis points above its all-time low reached on August 7. Even though fixed mortgage interest rates fell [...]

  by:Sandy Batten

  |in:Economy in Brief
• Global| Aug 28 2020

  U.S. Personal Spending and Income Rise in July

  • Spending rose for third consecutive month, points to strong Q3. • Wages and salaries rose but government payments fell again. • Annual price inflation picks up but still well below Fed's target. Personal consumption expenditures [...]

  by:Sandy Batten

  |in:Economy in Brief
• Global| Aug 27 2020

  U.S. GDP Fell Less in Q2'20 than First Estimate; Corporate Profits Fall

  • Q2 GDP fell less than the first estimate but this was still the largest quarterly decline on record. • Profits posted their second consecutive double-digit quarterly decline though smaller in Q2 than in Q1. • Decline still led by [...]

  by:Sandy Batten

  |in:Economy in Brief
• Global| Aug 25 2020

  U.S. New Home Sales Soar in July

  • New single-family home sales increased 13.9% m/m in July, up 58% from their April low and well above expectations. • Sales fell in the Northeast but rose in the other three regions, notably in the Midwest. • Prices were mixed. Sales [...]

  by:Sandy Batten

  |in:Economy in Brief
• Global| Aug 25 2020

  U.S. Energy Prices Rose in Most Recent Week

  • Gasoline prices edged up but have been range-bound since late June. • Crude oil prices rose for third consecutive week to highest level since early March. • Natural gas prices jumped up to highest level since November 2019. Regular [...]

  by:Sandy Batten

  |in:Economy in Brief
• Global| Aug 18 2020

  U.S. Gasoline Prices Steady; Other Energy Prices Edged Up

  • Gasoline prices unchanged. • Crude oil prices edged up. • Natural gas prices rise to highest level since December 2019. Regular gasoline prices were unchanged at $2.17 per gallon (-16.6% y/y) in the week ended August 17. Prices have [...]

  by:Sandy Batten

  |in:Economy in Brief
• Global| Aug 14 2020

  U.S. Industrial Production Continues Rebound in July

  • Manufacturing output gains were again broad-based in July though smaller than in June. • Even with three monthly gains, total industrial production still 8.4% below pre-Covid peak. • Another strong gain in auto output to nearly pre- [...]

  by:Sandy Batten

  |in:Economy in Brief
• Global| Aug 12 2020

  Mortgage Applications Rebound with Record Low Rates

  • Mortgage applications rose 6.8% in week ending August 7. • A 9.1% increase in refinance applications led the increase. Purchase applications were up 2.0%. • Major mortgage interest rates fell to new lows for the history of the [...]

  by:Sandy Batten

  |in:Economy in Brief
• Global| Aug 05 2020

  Mortgage Applications Fall Despite Declining Rates

  • Mortgage applications decreased 5.1% in week ending July 31. • Purchase applications off 7.5% from beginning of July, while refinance applications up 9.3%. • 15-year fixed rate mortgage interest rate edged down to 2.83%; 30-year [...]

  by:Sandy Batten

  |in:Economy in Brief
• Global| Jul 31 2020

  Employment Cost Growth Slows in Q2

  • Growth of overall compensation slowed to 0.5% q/q in 2020 Q2, slightly below expectations. • Wages and salaries growth accounted for the slowdown while benefits picked up. The employment cost index (ECI) for civilian workers rose [...]

  by:Sandy Batten

  |in:Economy in Brief