Economy in Brief: 2018

The BCC survey is a somewhat marked contrast to the new estimates for Q4 GDP also released today from NIESR (the National Institute of Economic and Social Research). NIESR estimates that the U.K. accelerated in Q4 growing at a [...]

Import prices overall ticked 0.1% higher during December following a 0.8% November increase, revised from 0.7%. From December of 2016 to December of 2017, prices increased 3.0%. A 0.4% gain had been expected during last month in the [...]

Among the original 11 EMU member countries, only four countries: Austria, Italy, Portugal and Luxembourg have unemployment rates above their median values back to January 1991. Belgium and Germany have exceptionally low rates (vis-a- [...]

Retail gasoline prices were unchanged at $2.52 per gallon (5.6% y/y) last week at the highest level since late November. Haver Analytics constructs factors adjusting for the seasonal variation in gasoline pump prices. The price edged [...]

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the total job openings rate in November fell to 3.8%, its lowest level in six months. The hiring rate also fell slightly to 3.7% from the expansion high of 3.8%. These figures are from the [...]

Last year, the Small Business Optimism Index from the National Federation of Independent Business rose to a record 104.8 (1986=100). For December alone, the index eased 2.4% to 104.9 and was 0.9% below one year earlier. A stable 27% [...]

Consumer credit outstanding strengthened $27.96 billion (5.3% y/y) during November after a little-revised $20.53 billion October rise. It was the strongest increase since November 2001. An $18.0 billion gain had been expected in the [...]

The Industrial Materials Price Index from the Foundation for International Business and Economic Research (FIBER) rose 2.4% during the last four weeks following a 6.7% during all of last year. Recent price improvement came as U.S. [...]