Recent Updates
- Sweden: Valueguard-KTH HOX House Prices (Apr), Capacity Utilization (Q3), Turnover Index (Mar)
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Economy in Brief
U.S. Mortgage Applications Continued to Slide Amid Higher Rates
The biggest declines have been in refinancing activity, while applications for purchase are just starting to crack...
UK Inflation Jumps
Inflation is at the highest rate since the series began in January of 1989...
U.S. Industrial Production Much Stronger than Expected in April
The increase in manufacturing output in April was once again led by motor vehicle and parts production...
U.S. Retail Sales Posted Solid Rise in April
Notwithstanding falling real incomes and declining confidence measures, consumer spending posted a solid increase...
U.S. Home Builder Index Took a Steep Drop in May
This is the fifth straight month that builder sentiment has declined...
Viewpoints
Commentaries are the opinions of the author and do not reflect the views of Haver Analytics.
Profits and Margins Plunge In Q1: Expect More Margin Contraction As Fed Squeezes Inflation
The Many Links of Inflation Cycle: Hard Landing Is Needed to Crack Them
Peak Inflation & Fed Policy: A Relationship Which Should Worry The Fed And Scare Investors
Why Have the Yields on TIPS Been Negative in the Past Two Years?
by Tom Moeller August 28, 2007
Consumer confidence in August fell according to the Conference Board Survey by 6.2%. The decline retraced all of the July increase of 6.3%. Confidence fell to the lowest level in a year.
The present conditions reading similarly fell a hard 5.8%, retracing all of the 6.5% July rise. The percentage of respondents who viewed business conditions as good fell and the percentage who viewed jobs as plentiful fell as well.
The expectations index also retraced all of the July rise with a 6.6% drop. Plans to buy major appliances fell to the lowest since late last year and plans to buy carpet also dropped.
The expected inflation rate in twelve months remained at 5.1%, equal to expectations during all of last year for inflation in twelve months.
| Conference Board (SA, 1985=100) |
August | July | Y/Y | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Consumer Confidence Index | 105.0 | 111.9 | 4.8% | 105.9 | 100.3 | 96.1 |
| Present Conditions | 130.3 | 138.3 | 5.2% | 130.2 | 116.1 | 94.9 |
| Expectations | 88.2 | 94.4 | 4.5% | 89.7 | 89.7 | 96.9 |
