Economy in Brief: 2020

The Conference Board's Composite Index of Leading Economic Indicators rose 0.1% during February following a 0.7% January increase, revised from 0.8%. The latest reading compared to zero change expected in the Action Economics Forecast [...]

Initial jobless claims for unemployment insurance surged by 70,000 to 281,000 (+28.3% y/y) in the March 14 week. The previous week was unrevised at 211,000, although all these data were affected back to 2015 by the annual seasonal [...]

• Initial jobless claims decreased to 211,000 in the week ending March 7th. • Four-week moving average edged up to 214,000. Initial jobless claims for unemployment insurance declined 4,000 to 211,000 (-5.8% year-on-year) during the [...]

The Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia reported that its General Factory Sector Business Conditions Index deteriorated to -12.7 during March from 36.7 in February. It was the first negative reading since February 2013. An index of [...]

• Current account deficit narrowed to $109.8 billion, led by a decrease in the goods deficit. • Balance on services and income roughly unchanged. The U.S. current account deficit narrowed to $109.8 billion during Q4'19 from an [...]

Japan's CPI fell by 0.1% in February; the core CPI (ex food and energy) fell by 0.2% in the month. Of course, the Bank of Japan is not going to be happy with the inflation trend that now is wholly muted. But the Bank, and Japan as a [...]

The Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia reported that its General Factory Sector Business Conditions Index deteriorated to -12.7 during March from 36.7 in February. It was the first negative reading since February 2013. An index of [...]

The Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia reported that its General Factory Sector Business Conditions Index deteriorated to -12.7 during March from 36.7 in February. It was the first negative reading since February 2013. An index of [...]