Economy in Brief: 2018

Manufacturers' orders increased 1.7% m/m (8.4% y/y) in December, the same monthly rise as in November (revised up from the initially reported 1.3% m/m increase). This was the sixth increase in factory orders in the past seven months. [...]

The labor market remains firm. Nonfarm payrolls increased 200,000 (1.5% y/y) during January following a 160,000 December gain and a 216,000 November rise. Together these two figures were revised down by 24,000. A 184,000 increase in [...]

The ISM composite index of business activity in the factory sector fell to 54.1 during December after rising to 59.3 in November. It was the lowest reading since November 2016. A level of 57.8 had been expected in the Action Economics [...]

Total sales of light vehicles during January declined 4.1% (-1.8% y/y) to 17.12 million (SAAR) following a 1.9% December increase to 17.85 million, according to the Autodata Corporation. It compared to an 18.6 million September high [...]

The value of construction put-in-place increased 0.7% (1.6% y/y) during December following a 0.6% November gain, initially reported as 0.8%. A 0.5% gain in activity had been expected in the Action Economics Forecast Survey. During all [...]

The ISM manufacturing sector composite index eased to 59.1 during January from 59.3 in December, revised from 59.7. A level of 59.0 had been expected in the Action Economics Forecast Survey. During the last ten years, there has been a [...]

Output per hour in the nonfarm business sector slipped at a 0.1% annual rate during Q4'17 following a 2.7% Q3 rise, revised from 3.0%. It was the first decline in productivity since Q1'16. A 1.2% rise had been expected in the Action [...]

Initial unemployment insurance applications edged down to 230,000 (-8.0% y/y) during the week ended January 27 from 231,000 claims in the prior week, revised from 233,000. Expectations in the Action Economics Forecast Survey had been [...]