Economy in Brief

The Conference Board's Consumer Confidence Index rose 4.2% in December to 96.5 (1985=100) from November's revised 92.6 and up 3.7% from a year ago, but still lower than most other months this year. The December figure compared with a [...]

The Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas reported that its general activity index of factory sector activity weakened for December to -20.1% from -4.9% in November. The latest reading is still marginally firmer than the May low of -20.8%. [...]

Initial claims for unemployment insurance were 267,000 (-4.6% y/y) in the week ending December 19, down from 272,000 the week before, which was revised from 271,000. The Action Economics Forecast Survey expected 270,000 filings. The [...]

The durable goods figures are available in Haver's USECON database. The Action Economics consensus forecast figure is in the AS1REPNA database. Durable Goods NAICS Classification Nov Oct Sep Nov Y/Y 2014 2013 2012 New Orders (SA, %) [...]

Sales of new single-family homes increased 4.3% during November to 490,000 from 470,000 in October, revised from 495,000. The gain left sales up 9.1% y/y but down 10.1% since the February high. Sales of 505,000 had been expected in [...]

Personal consumption expenditures increased 0.3% during November (2.9% y/y) following no change in October, revised from 0.1%. The increase matched expectations in the Action Economics Forecast Survey. Spending also rose 0.3% (2.5% [...]

U.K. GDP growth has been cut to 0.4% in Q3 2015 from what had previously been estimated at 0.5%. Growth also is steadily slipping with its annual rate dropping from 2.8% in Q4 2014 to 2.5% in Q1 2015, and to 2.3% in Q2 and now to 2.1% [...]

Durable goods orders were little changed in November (+1.2%y/y) following a 2.9%m/m jump in October (revised down slightly from the initially reported 3.0%m/m rise). Action Economics' Forecast Survey had anticipated a 0.7%m/m decline. [...]