Economy in Brief: May 2018

The ADP/Moody's National Employment Report indicated that private nonfarm payrolls increased 204,000 during April following a 228,000 March increase, revised from 241,000. A 201,000 rise had been expected in the Action Economics [...]

The value of construction put-in-place improved 0.1% (3.7% y/y) during February following unrevised stability in January. A 0.4% rise in building activity had been expected in the Action Economics Forecast Survey. Private sector [...]

Total sales of light vehicles declined 1.9% during April (+0.6% y/y) to 17.15 million units (SAAR), following a 2.4% March rise, according to the Autodata Corporation. The decline placed sales 7.6% below the 18.57 million unit high [...]

Activity in the factory sector moderated again last month. The ISM manufacturing sector composite index for April declined to 57.3, its lowest level in nine months. Despite the decline, the index remained near the highest point since [...]

The value of construction put-in-place slumped in March, falling 1.7% m/m (+3.9% y/y). The Action Economics Forecast Survey had looked for a 0.5% m/m rise in building activity. Unusual winter-like weather was probably at the heart of [...]

China manufacturing PMI is only slightly weaker in April compared to March and holds most of the March gain over February. Still, the PMI is only moderately valued standing in the 50th percentile of its historic range of values – [...]

Retail gasoline prices increased to $2.85 per gallon last week (18.0% y/y) following the prior week's five cent increase to $2.80 per gallon. It was the highest price level since November 2014. Haver Analytics constructs factors [...]