Economy in Brief: 2005

The Leading Index of the Big 7 OECD economies nudged 0.1% higher in December after a revised 0.3% gain in November. The gains were the first after eight months of sideways movement. Perhaps more important, however, was that the six [...]

The Leading Index of the Big 7 OECD economies nudged 0.1% higher in December after a revised 0.3% gain in November. The gains were the first after eight months of sideways movement. Perhaps more important, however, was that the six [...]

New Zealand's unemployment rate fell in Q4 to 3.6%, an all-time low, as reported in the quarterly labor force survey released Friday morning in New Zealand. These data began in 1986 and, prior to the last two quarters, the [...]

The US government ran a budget surplus of $8.7B in January versus a small deficit a year earlier. Calendar quirks accounted for much of the y/y improvement, but for the first four months of FY05 the annualized deficit of $327.7B was [...]

The US government ran a budget surplus of $8.7B in January versus a small deficit a year earlier. Calendar quirks accounted for much of the y/y improvement, but for the first four months of FY05 the annualized deficit of $327.7B was [...]

December trade data were reported today for several other countries besides the US. Developments among them were not dramatic, but one aspect can be highlighted. Two major trading partners whose currencies have been strong against the [...]

Initial claims for unemployment insurance fell another 13,000 to 303,000 last week, the lowest level since late 2000. Consensus expectations had been for 325,000 claims. The four week moving average of initial claims fell to 315,500 [...]

The U.S. foreign trade deficit improved in December to $56.4B versus a lessened deficit of $59.3B in November. The record deficit of $617.7B in 2004 was nearly one quarter larger than in 2003. Consensus expectations had been for a [...]