Economy in Brief

The Labor Market Conditions Index from the Federal Reserve Board includes 19 indicators of labor market activity, covering the broad categories of unemployment and underemployment. These include jobs, workweeks, wages, vacancies, [...]

Deflation in PPI prices is very widespread with few exceptions. The pace is getting more deeply into negative territory across the original 11 EMU member countries. Prices are falling period-to-period in all 44 of the country level [...]

Total sales of light vehicles during March fell 5.5% from February, the fourth decline in five months. At 16.57 million units (SAAR), sales were at the lowest level in thirteen months. Auto sales declined 6.4% to 6.91 million units [...]

The value of construction put-in-place fell 0.5% during February following a 2.1% rise in January, revised from 1.5%. A 0.1% increase was expected in the Action Economics Forecast Survey. During the last three months, activity grew an [...]

Japan's Tankan survey in which we focus on the responses of large firms shows a sharp reduction in the manufacturing firm assessment which has dropped back to +6 in Q1 2016 from +12 in Q4 2015. This is the weakest reading in 11 [...]

The ISM Composite Index of manufacturing activity rose more than expected to 51.8 in March from 49.5 in February. The Action Economics Forecast Survey had looked for an increase to 50.7. The data from the Institute for Supply [...]

The job market remained firm during March. Nonfarm payrolls increased 215,000 (2.0% y/y) following a 245,000 February increase, earlier reported a 242,000. A 200,000 increase had been expected in the Action Economics Forecast Survey. [...]

The job market remained firm during March. Nonfarm payrolls increased 215,000 (2.0% y/y) following a 245,000 February increase, earlier reported a 242,000. A 200,000 increase had been expected in the Action Economics Forecast Survey. [...]