Economy in Brief

The Institute for Supply Management reported that it's Composite Index of factory sector activity declined for a second consecutive month. At 48.2 during December, the figure was down from an unrevised November reading of 48.6. The [...]

The global malaises, especially the knock-on effects of weak oil, have been hammering Canada, a natural resource-intensive goods economy. In December, housing starts are lower by 18.4% month-on-month, their sharpest one-month drop [...]

Inventories at the wholesale level fell 0.3% during November, the same as in October. The decline reflected a 0.9% fall in durable goods due to a 3.0% drop in metal & minerals (excl. petroleum -13.3% y/y). Electrical goods inventories [...]

Consumer credit outstanding increased $14.0 billion in November after October's $15.6 billion, which was revised from $16.0 billion. Action Economics Forecast Survey participants looked for an $18.3 billion increase. During the last [...]

Nonfarm payrolls increased by a firm 292,000 during December following upwardly revised gains in the prior two months. Expectations had been for a 194,000 rise in the Action Economic Forecast Survey. The gain was powered by strength [...]

Nonfarm payrolls increased by a firm 292,000 during December following upwardly revised gains in the prior two months. Expectations had been for a 194,000 rise in the Action Economic Forecast Survey. The gain was powered by strength [...]

The outplacement firm of Challenger, Gray & Christmas reported that job cut announcements during December fell to 23,622 (-27.6% y/y) following the prior month's decline to 30,953. The latest was the lowest since 2000. Layoffs fell in [...]

Initial claims for unemployment insurance rose to 277,000 (-7.8%y/y) in the week ended January 2 from an unrevised 287,000 the previous week. Consensus expectations in the Action Economics Forecast Survey looked for 275,000 [...]