Economy in Brief: 2016

The year-over-year growth in GDP has been gaining for France (as the chart shows), but on that same basis, household consumption has begun to pull back. On a quarterly basis, France GDP slowed to a 1% pace from 1.3% in Q3. France ends [...]

The employment cost index for civilian workers increased 0.6% (2.0% y/y) during Q4'15, as expected in the Action Economics Forecast Survey. Wages increased 0.6% (2.1% y/y) for a second month and benefits rose 0.7% (1.8% y/y). The [...]

Overall economic growth eased during Q4 to 0.7% (AR, 1.8% y/y) versus 2.0% growth in Q3. It was the weakest gain since Q1 of last year. A 0.8% rise had been expected in the Action Economics Forecast Survey. Slower growth was realized [...]

Overall economic growth eased during Q4 to 0.7% (1.8% y/y) versus 2.0% growth in Q3. It was the weakest gain since Q1 of last year. A 0.8% rise had been expected in the Action Economics Forecast Survey. Slower growth was realized in [...]

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) reported that pending sales of single-family homes ticked 0.1% higher in December (+3.1% y/y) following November's 1.1% decline, which was initially reported as -0.9%. The December sales [...]

Initial claims for unemployment insurance declined to 278,000 (+5.3% y/y) during the week ended January 23 following 294,000 claims in the prior week, revised from 293,000. The four-week moving average now stands at 283,000, and has [...]

The comprehensive EU sentiment index and its counterpart for the EMU fell and each index fell to a five-month low in January. Happy New Year! The indices are out relatively late in the month, allowing for the month's activities to be [...]

New orders for durable goods tumbled 5.1% (-0.6% y/y) during December following a -0.5% decline in November, revised from little change in the advance report. A 0.2% decline had been expected in the Action Economics' Forecast Survey. [...]