Economy in Brief: 2017

Nonfarm payroll employment increased 156,000 during December (1.4% y/y) following a 204,000 November increase and a 135,000 October rise. Revisions added 19,000 jobs to these two results combined. A 175,000 increase in December [...]

PPI, CPI, 'X'PI- you name the 'X' factor- just about any kind of price indexes is on the rise these days. Oil prices now have a nice head of steam and price increases over horizons from X to Y (again, you fill in the blanks) are on [...]

Initial claims for unemployment insurance fell sharply in the final week of December to 235,000 from 263,000 in the week ended December 24, revised from 265,000. The latest level was the lowest since November 1973. Expectations in the [...]

The Composite Index of Nonmanufacturing Sector Business Activity from the Institute for Supply Management (ISM) held at 57.2 during December versus an unrevised 57.2 in November. This level was the highest since October 2015, and [...]

The ADP/Moody's National Employment Report indicated that private nonfarm payroll employment increased 153,000 during December following a 215,000 November rise, revised from 216,000. The October increase of 124,000 also was revised [...]

During all of 2016, total sales of light vehicles rose to a record 17.55 million units, up 0.7% from 17.42 million units sold in 2015, according to the Autodata Corporation. During December alone, sales increased 3.1% versus November [...]

Note how clearly the 'blue line' leads... The way down; the way up; the mini-cycles... Be careful what you wish for... The euro area PMIs for manufacturing and services are heating up. The region no longer looks so growth-challenged, [...]

The Mortgage Bankers Association reported that its total Mortgage Market Volume Index was little changed last week (9.1% y/y) following a 12.1% drop during the week prior. Since their peak early in July, applications have fallen by [...]