Economy in Brief

The EMU flash readings for manufacturing and services tell a pretty clear story of the euro area's ongoing struggle to sustain stronger growth. Both sectors remain above 50, showing expansion. But neither is impressively or even [...]

The National Activity Index from the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago fell to -0.44 during March. It was the weakest reading since January 2014, suggesting that economic growth was slightly below trend. At -0.18, the three month moving [...]

U.K. retail sales fell sharply in March dropping by 1.4% after falling by 0.7% in February. These two drops followed a sizeable hike of 2% in January. But that 2% rise is less impressive than it seems having followed a drop of 1.2%. [...]

The Conference Board's Index of Leading Economic Indicators increased 0.2% during March (2.2% y/y), following declines in each of the prior three months. February's 0.1% shortfall was revised from a 0.1% gain. The latest improvement [...]

The U.S. House Price Index from the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) during February increased 0.4% (5.6% y/y) for a second consecutive month. Prices were strongest y/y in the Pacific region (8.4% y/y) and amongst the Mountain [...]

Initial unemployment insurance claims fell to 247,000 during the week ended April 16 from an unrevised 253,000 in the prior week. For the past year, claims have been near the lowest level since 1973. Expectations were for 264,000 [...]

Sales of existing homes increased 5.1% (1.5% y/y) to 5.330 million (SAAR) during March from 5.070 million in February, revised from 5.080 million. The gain followed February's 7.3% decline and extended a pattern of volatile sideways [...]

As we look at the weakest year-on-year German PPI drop since January 2010 -over six years ago- we are now deeper into a recovery and price conditions are worsening. There is some sort of lesson there. I am reminded of Gilda Radner's [...]