Economy in Brief

Trade in the EMU remains somewhat enigmatic. Exports and imports (of manufactured goods) are still quite soft over 12 months as well as over six months. But over the recent three months, exports have exploded to life as imports have [...]

Regular gasoline prices increased to $2.40 per gallon last week (-15.4% y/y) following the prior week's rise to $2.38, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Prices have risen by one-third since mid-February and were at the [...]

Import prices jumped 1.4% during May (-5.0% y/y) following an upwardly revised 0.7% April rise. It was the strongest increase since March 2012, and double the 0.7% gain expected in the Action Economics Forecast Survey. These figures [...]

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 [...]

The National Federation of Independent Business reported that its Small Business Optimism Index increased 0.2% during May to 93.8 following a 1.1% April rise. These were the only increases so far this year. An improved 9% of firms [...]

Euro area industrial production rebounded by a smart 1.1% in April, more than recovering its loss of output in March but still behind its combined February-March loss. IP is still falling on balance over three months, but the six- [...]

Total retail sales & spending at restaurants increased 0.5% (2.5% y/y) during May following an unrevised 1.3% April jump. The rise compared to expectations for 0.3% growth in the Action Economics Forecast Survey. The increase in motor [...]

Improvement in factory sector output continues to support pricing power in the industrial sector. The Industrial Materials Price Index from the Foundation for International Business and Economic Research (FIBER) increased 0.7% during [...]