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 09 2016

  U.S. Wholesale Sales Slip While Inventories Are Unchanged in July

  Wholesale sector sales slipped 0.5% m/m (-1.0% y/y) in July following an outsize 1.7% m/m (revised from 1.9% m/m) jump in June. The Action Economics Survey had looked for a 0.2% m/m increase. Nondurable goods sales, which had led the [...]

  by:Sandy Batten

  |in:Economy in Brief
• Global| Sep 08 2016

  U.S. Consumer Credit Picked Up in July

  Consumer credit outstanding picked up in July, increasing $17.7 billion (6.0% y/y) during the month versus an upwardly revised, though still subpar, $14.5 billion (initially $12.3 billion) rise in June. The previously reported May [...]

  by:Sandy Batten

  |in:Economy in Brief
• Global| Sep 08 2016

  U.S. Initial Claims for Unemployment Insurance Edge Lower

  Initial unemployment insurance claims edged down to 259,000 (-5.8% y/y) in the week ending September 3 from an unrevised 263,000 in the week ended August 27. The four-week moving average also eased to 261,250 from 263,000 (also [...]

  by:Sandy Batten

  |in:Economy in Brief
• Global| Sep 08 2016

  U.S. Consumer Confidence Improves Broadly

  Consumer credit outstanding picked up in July, increasing $17.7 billion (6.0% y/y) during the month versus an upwardly revised, though still subpar, $14.5 billion (initially $12.3 billion) rise in June. The previously reported May [...]

  by:Sandy Batten

  |in:Economy in Brief
• Global| Sep 07 2016

  U.S. JOLTS: Labor Market Remains Robust in July

  The total job openings rate edged higher to 3.9% in July, regaining its record high last reached in April, up from 3.8% in June and 3.7 in May. The private sector job openings rate jumped to 4.2% in July from 4.0% in June, also [...]

  by:Sandy Batten

  |in:Economy in Brief
• Global| Jul 21 2016

  U.S. FHFA House Price Index Rose Modestly in May

  The Federal Housing Finance Agency's (FHFA) index of U.S. house prices rose a modest 0.2% m/m (5.6% y/y) in May following an upwardly revised 0.3% m/m (5.9% y/y) increase in April. Though the y/y change in nationwide house prices has [...]

  by:Sandy Batten

  |in:Economy in Brief
• Global| Jul 15 2016

  Business Inventories Rise Further in May; Sales Slow

  Total business inventories edged up 0.2% m/m (1.0% y/y) following an unrevised 0.1% m/m increase in April. Total business sales slowed to a 0.2% m/m rise (-1.4% y/y) in May after a 0.8% m/m jump in April (revised down slightly from [...]

  by:Sandy Batten

  |in:Economy in Brief
• Global| Jun 16 2016

  U.S. Current Account Deficit Widened in First Quarter

  The U.S. current account deficit widened to $124.7 billion in the first quarter of 2016 from a revised $113.4 billion deficit in the fourth quarter of 2015 (originally -$125.3 billion). The Q1 figure was in line with the expectation [...]

  by:Sandy Batten

  |in:Economy in Brief
• Global| Jun 14 2016

  Business Inventories Weaker in April, But Sales Jump

  Total business inventories inched up 0.1% m/m (1.0% y/y) in April following a 0.3% m/m increase in March (revised down from 0.4% m/m). Total business sales jumped 0.9% m/m (-1.3% y/y) in April after a 0.2% m/m rise in March (revised [...]

  by:Sandy Batten

  |in:Economy in Brief
• Global| Jun 06 2016

  U.S. Factory Orders Solid in April

  New factory orders rose 1.9%m/m in April following an upwardly revised 1.7% m/m increase in March. The Action Economics Forecast Survey had anticipated a 2.0% m/m rise for April. Durable goods orders for April (the advance report was [...]

  by:Sandy Batten

  |in:Economy in Brief
• Global| Jun 03 2016

  April US Trade Deficit Widens with Increases in Both Exports and Imports

  The U.S. trade deficit in goods and services widened to $37.4 billion in April from a revised $35.5 billion in March. The Action Economics Forecast Survey had expected a $42.0 billion deficit billion. While this outcome would appear [...]

  by:Sandy Batten

  |in:Economy in Brief
• Global| May 04 2016

  U.S. Factory Orders Stronger than Expected in March

  New factory orders jumped up 1.1% m/m in March following a slightly revised 1.9% m/m decline in February in a continuation of the recent monthly see-saw pattern. The Action Economics Forecast Survey had anticipated a 0.6% m/m rise for [...]

  by:Sandy Batten

  |in:Economy in Brief