Economy in Brief

The Philadelphia Federal Reserve Bank reported that its General Factory Sector Business Conditions Index for October remained negative for the second straight month. At -4.5, the latest figure was barely above September's -6.0 and [...]

The Empire State Factory Index of General Business Conditions remained negative during October for the third straight month and was nearly the weakest reading since the recession. The latest reading of -11.36 compared to an unrevised [...]

Japan's tertiary index (services sector) in August edged only slightly higher. The industry index has fallen to 96.3 from 97.5. And the industrial production index for August fell by 1.2%, more than the initial estimate of -0.5%. [...]

The job market continues to strengthen. Initial claims for unemployment insurance declined to 255,000 (-6.8% y/y) during the week ended October 10 from a little-revised 262,000 during the prior week. The figure matched the lowest [...]

The Consumer Price Index declined 0.2% during September (-0.0% y/y) and followed a 0.1% August dip. Pricing power elsewhere, however, strengthened. Prices excluding food & energy increased 0.2% (1.9% y/y) following two months of 0.1% [...]

Gasoline prices at the pump inched up last week to $2.34 per gallon (-27.1% y/y) but remained below $2.84 in mid-June. Haver Analytics constructs factors adjusting for the seasonal variation in pump prices. The seasonally adjusted [...]

Total business inventories held steady during August (2.4% y/y) for a second month. Revisions to the July figures were minimal. These figures suggest inventories will have little effect on real GDP growth this quarter as in Q2. Retail [...]

The overall Final Demand Producer Price Index fell 0.5% in September (-1.1% y/y) following an unrevised zero change in August. It was the first decline since April. The Action Economics Forecast Survey expected a 0.2% decrease. Prices [...]