Economy in Brief: 2019

After having collapsed 4.5 points in December to 54.3 (the lowest reading since December 2016), the ISM manufacturing index rebounded to 56.6 in January. Expectations were for a further decline to 54.1. Still, the January reading [...]

The job market remains firm. Nonfarm payrolls increased 304,000 (1.9% y/y) during January, but December's gain was revised downward to 222,000 from 312,000 reported last month. November's increase was revised up slightly to 196,000 [...]

Wholesale inventories increased 0.3% month-on-month (6.5% year-over-year) during November, following an upwardly revised 0.9% gain in October. The release of this data was delayed by the government shutdown. Wholesale sales declined [...]

In a delayed release of November data, the value of construction put-in-place rose a greater than expected 0.8% month-on-month (3.4% year-on-year). The Action Economics Forecast Survey expected a 0.3% gain. October's previously- [...]

The job market remains firm. Nonfarm payrolls increased 304,000 (1.9% y/y) during January, but December's gain was revised downward to 222,000 from 312,000 reported last month. November's increase was revised up slightly to 196,000 [...]

The Chicago Purchasing Managers Business Barometer remained at an elevated level of 65.4 in December...... The MNI Chicago Report is produced by MNI in partnership with ISM-Chicago. The survey covers a sample of over 200 purchasing [...]

The China manufacturing PMI continues to be weak; it signals contraction in January albeit at a pace ever so slightly improved compared to December. It marks the first back-to-back PMI readings below 50 since January-February of 2016. [...]

The government shutdown delayed the report covering November new single-family home sales, but the information in the report is worthy of note. New home sales jumped 16.9% (-7.7% y/y) to 657,000 (SAAR) and recovered October's 8.3% [...]