Economy in Brief: September 2016

The global manufacturing scene remains weak in August with low valued PMI gauges across the spectrum. The environment for trade and commerce has deteriorated sharply and the risks to growth have become more palpable. At the IMF, [...]

Contraction in the level of factory sector activity has recurred. The ISM Composite Index of manufacturing activity fell to 49.4 during August from an unrevised 52.6 in July. It was the lowest level since January, and compared to 52.0 [...]

Nonfarm output per hour during Q2'16 fell 0.6% (SAAR), revised from -0.5%. It was the third consecutive quarterly decline and matched expectations in the Action Economics Forecast Survey. The latest decline occurred as output [...]

Initial unemployment insurance claims rose to 263,000 (-6.4% y/y) during the week ended August 27 following an unrevised slip to 261,000 claims in the prior week. The four-week moving average eased to 263,000. The Action Economics [...]