Tom Moeller

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<img align="left" border="0" height="265" src="https://haver-commentaries.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/comments/060127a.jpg" width="353">
US real GDP growth last quarter weakened to the slowest in over four years. Even when the 1.1% advance is combined with 3Q, the 2.6% average gain was the weakest since early 2003 and fell short of Consensus expectations for a 2.8% rise.
Domestic demand growth suffered due to a collapse in the demand for autos. Sales incentives had pumped up 3Q vehicle &amp; parts demand by 12.6% (AR) but the 44.9% decline last quarter pulled the demand level to its lowest since 2001. As a result, real PCE grew just 1.1% (3.0% y/y) during 4Q05.
Outside of autos, real consumer demand was firm last quarter as suggested by a 12.5% (10.6% y/y) advance in furniture &amp; household appliances, a 10.8% (6.6% y/y) rise in apparel and a 3.2% (2.9% y/y) increase in services spending.
Business fixed investment also eased due to a shortfall in spending on transportation equipment, off 17.6% (+1.5% y/y). Investment in industrial equipment rose 10.6% (5.6% y/y) and spending on information processing equipment &amp; software rose 9.1% (13.7% y/y).
Lower defense spending, which reversed all of the 3Q gain with a 13.1% (+0.5% y/y) decline, lowered government spending by 2.4% (+1.2% y/y). The decline in defense subtracted 0.7% percentage points from 4Q GDP growth.
Growth in residential investment eased to 3.5% (7.7% y/y), the slowest quarterly advance in a year.
The drag on GDP growth from a wider foreign trade deficit ballooned to 1.2 percentage points as imports grew 9.1% (4.6% y/y), the fastest rate of growth in a year. Exports rose 2.4% (5.7% y/y), steady with the 3Q rate of growth.
Countering the drag from foreign trade, inventories contributed a large 1.5 percentage points to GDP growth, the most since early 2002.
The chain price index grew 3.0% versus a Consensus expectation for a 2.5% rise. The upside surprise during 4Q was due to a 4.9% (3.5% y/y) increase in the price index for private fixed investment which raised the price index for domestic final sales by 3.4% (3.5% y/y).
Global Economic Expansion Rolls On Into 2006 from the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta can be found <a href="http://www.frbatlanta.org/invoke.cfm?objectid=7C7CADB5-5056-9F06-998A5B38EE1874DC&amp;method=display"> here</a>.

<table border="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%">
<colgroup><col><col><col><col><col><col></colgroup>
<thead>
<tr>
<th scope="col" class="firstcol"><a href="http://www.haverselect.com/dlx/USECON/@E7/@E701/@E701.HTM">Chained 2000$, % AR</a></th>
<th scope="col">4Q &#39;05 (Advance)</th>
<th scope="col">3Q &#39;05</th>
<th scope="col">Y/Y</th>
<th scope="col">2005</th>
<th scope="col">2004</th>
<th scope="col">2003</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr class="odd">
<td class="firstcol">GDP</td>
<td>1.1%</td>
<td>4.1%</td>
<td>3.1%</td>
<td>3.5%</td>
<td>4.2%</td>
<td>2.7%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="firstcol">&nbsp; Inventory Effect</td>
<td>1.5%</td>
<td>-0.4%</td>
<td>-0.2%</td>
<td>-0.3%</td>
<td>0.3%</td>
<td>0.0%</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td class="firstcol">Final Sales</td>
<td>-0.3%</td>
<td>4.6%</td>
<td>3.3%</td>
<td>3.8%</td>
<td>3.9%</td>
<td>2.7%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="firstcol">&nbsp; Foreign Trade Effect</td>
<td>-1.2%</td>
<td>-0.1%</td>
<td>0.0%</td>
<td>-0.1%</td>
<td>-0.5%</td>
<td>-0.3%</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td class="firstcol">Domestic Final Demand</td>
<td>0.8%</td>
<td>4.5%</td>
<td>3.3%</td>
<td>3.9%</td>
<td>4.4%</td>
<td>3.0%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="firstcol">Chained GDP Price Index</td>
<td>3.0%</td>
<td>3.3%</td>
<td>3.0%</td>
<td>2.8%</td>
<td>2.6%</td>
<td>2.0%</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>


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US real GDP growth last quarter weakened to the slowest in over four years. Even when the 1.1% advance is combined with 3Q, the 2.6% average gain was the weakest since early 2003 and fell short of Consensus expectations for a 2.8% [...]

US 4Q GDP Weak Due To Lower Autos & Lower Defense

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<img align="left" border="0" height="265" src="https://haver-commentaries.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/comments/060127a.jpg" width="353">
US real GDP growth last quarter weakened to the slowest in over four years. Even when the 1.1% advance is combined with 3Q, the 2.6% average gain was the weakest since early 2003 and fell short of Consensus expectations for a 2.8% rise.
Domestic demand growth suffered due to a collapse in the demand for autos. Sales incentives had pumped up 3Q vehicle &amp; parts demand by 12.6% (AR) but the 44.9% decline last quarter pulled the demand level to its lowest since 2001. As a result, real PCE grew just 1.1% (3.0% y/y) during 4Q05.
Outside of autos, real consumer demand was firm last quarter as suggested by a 12.5% (10.6% y/y) advance in furniture &amp; household appliances, a 10.8% (6.6% y/y) rise in apparel and a 3.2% (2.9% y/y) increase in services spending.
Business fixed investment also eased due to a shortfall in spending on transportation equipment, off 17.6% (+1.5% y/y). Investment in industrial equipment rose 10.6% (5.6% y/y) and spending on information processing equipment &amp; software rose 9.1% (13.7% y/y).
Lower defense spending, which reversed all of the 3Q gain with a 13.1% (+0.5% y/y) decline, lowered government spending by 2.4% (+1.2% y/y). The decline in defense subtracted 0.7% percentage points from 4Q GDP growth.
Growth in residential investment eased to 3.5% (7.7% y/y), the slowest quarterly advance in a year.
The drag on GDP growth from a wider foreign trade deficit ballooned to 1.2 percentage points as imports grew 9.1% (4.6% y/y), the fastest rate of growth in a year. Exports rose 2.4% (5.7% y/y), steady with the 3Q rate of growth.
Countering the drag from foreign trade, inventories contributed a large 1.5 percentage points to GDP growth, the most since early 2002.
The chain price index grew 3.0% versus a Consensus expectation for a 2.5% rise. The upside surprise during 4Q was due to a 4.9% (3.5% y/y) increase in the price index for private fixed investment which raised the price index for domestic final sales by 3.4% (3.5% y/y).
Global Economic Expansion Rolls On Into 2006 from the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta can be found <a href="http://www.frbatlanta.org/invoke.cfm?objectid=7C7CADB5-5056-9F06-998A5B38EE1874DC&amp;method=display"> here</a>.

<table border="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%">
<colgroup><col><col><col><col><col><col></colgroup>
<thead>
<tr>
<th scope="col" class="firstcol"><a href="http://www.haverselect.com/dlx/USECON/@E7/@E701/@E701.HTM">Chained 2000$, % AR</a></th>
<th scope="col">4Q &#39;05 (Advance)</th>
<th scope="col">3Q &#39;05</th>
<th scope="col">Y/Y</th>
<th scope="col">2005</th>
<th scope="col">2004</th>
<th scope="col">2003</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr class="odd">
<td class="firstcol">GDP</td>
<td>1.1%</td>
<td>4.1%</td>
<td>3.1%</td>
<td>3.5%</td>
<td>4.2%</td>
<td>2.7%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="firstcol">&nbsp; Inventory Effect</td>
<td>1.5%</td>
<td>-0.4%</td>
<td>-0.2%</td>
<td>-0.3%</td>
<td>0.3%</td>
<td>0.0%</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td class="firstcol">Final Sales</td>
<td>-0.3%</td>
<td>4.6%</td>
<td>3.3%</td>
<td>3.8%</td>
<td>3.9%</td>
<td>2.7%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="firstcol">&nbsp; Foreign Trade Effect</td>
<td>-1.2%</td>
<td>-0.1%</td>
<td>0.0%</td>
<td>-0.1%</td>
<td>-0.5%</td>
<td>-0.3%</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td class="firstcol">Domestic Final Demand</td>
<td>0.8%</td>
<td>4.5%</td>
<td>3.3%</td>
<td>3.9%</td>
<td>4.4%</td>
<td>3.0%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="firstcol">Chained GDP Price Index</td>
<td>3.0%</td>
<td>3.3%</td>
<td>3.0%</td>
<td>2.8%</td>
<td>2.6%</td>
<td>2.0%</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
New Home Sales Finished a Record 2005 Firm, Prices Soft 
by <a href="/comment/Moeller.html">Tom Moeller</a> January 27, 2006


<img align="left" border="0" height="265" src="https://haver-commentaries.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/comments/060127b.jpg" width="353">
December new single-family home sales increased 2.9% to 1.269M after a 9.2% November decline that was less than initially estimated. Consensus expectations had been for a decline to 1.225M. For the year, new home sales set a new record of 1.280M, up 6.7% from 2004.
Sales gains out West, up 11.1% (12.9% y/y), and in the Midwest, up 22.7% (-8.0% y/y), offset declines in the Northeast (0.0% y/y) and in the South (4.0% y/y).
The median price of a new single family home fell 2.2% (-3.4% y/y) to $221,800. For the year, prices rose to an average $231,350 (6.2% Y/Y).
The figures from the Census Department reflect home sales counted at the time of sales contract or deposit.

<table border="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%">
<colgroup><col><col><col><col><col><col></colgroup>
<thead>
<tr>
<th scope="col" class="firstcol"><a href="http://www.haverselect.com/dlx/USECON/@E9/@E904/@E90401/@E90401.HTM">Homes Sales (000s, AR)</a></th>
<th scope="col">Dec</th>
<th scope="col">Nov</th>
<th scope="col">Y/Y</th>
<th scope="col">2005</th>
<th scope="col">2004</th>
<th scope="col">2003</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td class="firstcol">New Single-Family</td>
<td>1,269</td>
<td>1,233</td>
<td>1.8%</td>
<td>1,280</td>
<td>1,200</td>
<td>1,091</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
Japan CPI Rises in December, a Second Consecutive Year/Year Increase 
by <a href="/comment/Stone.html">Carol Stone</a> January 27, 2006


<img align="left" border="0" height="265" src="https://haver-commentaries.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/comments/060127c.jpg" width="353">
Japan business and government leaders today were excited to report a second straight month of positive consumer price performance. The most widely followed CPI series is the total excluding fresh food, and it rose 0.1% year-on-year in December, following an equal move in November. The index was flat in October. So, by this gauge, the nation has not experienced deflation since early autumn. This development is already sparking talk of monetary policy changes as it perhaps signals that the long era of deflation has finally concluded. There was further encouragement from the local Tokyo area index, which moved into positive territory for January.
The upward price movements in the national index came in several sectors: housing costs, clothing, transportation and fuel. There was also less deflation in communications charges and in furniture and appliance prices. A separate &quot;core&quot; rate which, similar those in other countries, excludes energy as well as food, rose to +0.1% in December, its first positive reading. There is only slightly more than a year&#39;s history for this measure in Japan, however, so this move is less meaningful.
While the &quot;increases&quot; in the aggregate CPI series are minimal, they are the first since mid-1998, that is, more than seven years ago. The trend at that time was headed clearly downward, in the wake of the Asian currency crisis and in the face of general weakness of the Japanese economy. Now, finally, prices are firming, and this on the back of better demand. Retail sales in December, also reported today, rose 0.8% month-to-month in December, making 2005 the first year of positive growth in these sales since 1996. So perhaps there is in fact room for encouragement about the state of the Japanese economy.

<table border="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%">
<colgroup><col><col><col><col><col></colgroup>
<thead>
<tr>
<th scope="col" class="firstcol"><a href="http://www.haverselect.com/dlx/JAPAN/@J5/@J504/@J504.HTM">Japan CPI: Yr/Yr % Changes, NSA</a></th>
<th scope="col">Jan 2006</th>
<th scope="col">Dec 2005</th>
<th scope="col">Nov 2005</th>
<th scope="col">Oct 2005</th>
December/December
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr class="odd">
<td class="firstcol">2004</td>
<td>2003</td>
<td>2002</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="firstcol">CPI Headline*</td>
<td>--</td>
<td>+0.1</td>
<td>+0.1</td>
<td>0.0</td>
<td>-0.2</td>
<td>0.0</td>
<td>-0.7</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td class="firstcol">Total CPI</td>
<td>--</td>
<td>-0.1</td>
<td>-0.8</td>
<td>-0.7</td>
<td>+0.2</td>
<td>-0.4</td>
<td>-0.3</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="firstcol">Commodities ex Fresh Food</td>
<td>--</td>
<td>+0.2</td>
<td>0.0</td>
<td>+0.1</td>
<td>-0.1</td>
<td>-0.3</td>
<td>-1.5</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td class="firstcol">Fresh Food</td>
<td>--</td>
<td>-7.5</td>
<td>-16.8</td>
<td>-14.2</td>
<td>+9.3</td>
<td>-6.6</td>
<td>+9.6</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="firstcol">Services ex Imputed Rent</td>
<td>--</td>
<td>0.0</td>
<td>0.0</td>
<td>-0.4</td>
<td>-0.5</td>
<td>+0.3</td>
<td>+0.2</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td class="firstcol">Total CPI, Ku-area of Tokyo</td>
<td>+0.1</td>
<td>-0.2</td>
<td>-0.3</td>
<td>-0.3</td>
<td>-0.4</td>
<td>-0.1</td>
<td>-0.7</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>


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Carol Stone, CBE

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<img align="left" border="0" height="265" src="https://haver-commentaries.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/comments/060126c.jpg" width="353">
The Bank for International Settlements today reported international banking statistics for Q3 2005, on a provisional basis. These data are contained in Haver&#39;s BIS database, which includes basically all the tables in the BIS Quarterly Review. The objective of this highly detailed data collection effort is to provide indications of the exposure of reporting countries&#39; banking systems to international developments. There are 39 reporting countries whose central banks provide comprehensive data on gross external assets and liabilities of their nation&#39;s banks with immediate borrowers. These reporting countries are mostly developed countries, but banks in emerging economies, such as Brazil, Mexico and Turkey, also report, along with a number of offshore banking centers. Claims and liabilities are classified by country and sector of the counter-party, by currency and by type of instrument, among other features. Of these 39 countries, 30 also report &quot;consolidated&quot; data, which net out inter-bank flows and indicate the amount of &quot;ultimate&quot; risk, including derivatives as well as on-balance-sheet items. In the following discussion, we look simply at the total of gross claims -- or assets -- for Q3 held by banks in various countries and the distribution of the so-called &quot;vis-&agrave;-vis&quot; countries which have incurred them.
At the end of September, external claims of banks in the 39 reporting countries totaled $20.713 trillion. This compares with $20.268 trillion on June 30 and $19,198.3 billion at the end of 2004. The largest claims are assets of banks in the UK, $4.122 trillion. The US is third in this ranking, having $1.965 trillion in foreign assets, while Germany is second at $2.184 trillion. Banks in Japan, France and the Cayman Islands all have more than $1.0 trillion in external assets.<img align="right" border="0" height="265" src="https://haver-commentaries.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/comments/060126d.jpg" width="353">
Frequently, in considering banking figures such as these, the public tends to focus on the debts of developing or emerging market countries. But, as measured here, these are smaller than might be expected: BIS reporting banks&#39; assets in these countries came to only $1.338 trillion, 6.5% of the total. In an absolute sense, of course, $1.3 trillion is a large amount, and it probably carries more risk than the substantially bigger assets in more developed countries. The largest claims in this group of countries involve China and South Korea.
By type, loans constitute about three-quarters of these banking system assets. By currency, US dollar assets totaled $8.435 trillion on September 30. The next biggest currency is the euro, with $7.798 trillion. Non-trivial amounts are also denominated in yen, pounds and Swiss francs.
This is a quarterly release, with year-end 2005 likely to be released on April 25. The BIS established these reports as the eurocurrency markets developed in the 1970s. They were enhanced following significant international incidents, especially including the original Mexican debt crisis in 1983 and the Russian default in 1998.

<table border="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%">
<colgroup><col><col><col><col></colgroup>
<thead>
<tr>
<th scope="col" class="firstcol"><a href="http://www.haverselect.com/dlx/BIS/BIS.HTM">BIS</a> (All Data in Trillions US $)</th>
<th scope="col">Q3 2005</th>
<th scope="col">Q2 2005</th>
<th scope="col">Q1 2005</th>
Year-End
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr class="odd">
<td class="firstcol">2004</td>
<td>2003</td>
<td>2002</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="firstcol">Total</td>
<td>20.713</td>
<td>20.268</td>
<td>19.808</td>
<td>19.198</td>
<td>15.999</td>
<td>13.370</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td class="firstcol">UK Bank Assets</td>
<td>4.122</td>
<td>4.031</td>
<td>3.974</td>
<td>37.87</td>
<td>3.093</td>
<td>2.514</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="firstcol">German Bank Assets</td>
<td>2.184</td>
<td>2.167</td>
<td>2.191</td>
<td>2.151</td>
<td>1.786</td>
<td>1.384</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td class="firstcol">Claims on Developed Countries</td>
<td>16.372</td>
<td>16.038</td>
<td>15.765</td>
<td>15.206</td>
<td>12.714</td>
<td>10.619</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="firstcol">Claims on Developing Countries</td>
<td>1.338</td>
<td>1.266</td>
<td>1.251</td>
<td>1.180</td>
<td>1.007</td>
<td>0.877</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td class="firstcol">US Dollar Denominated</td>
<td>8.435</td>
<td>8.197</td>
<td>7.662</td>
<td>7.356</td>
<td>6.362</td>
<td>5.664</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="firstcol">Euro Denominated (US$ value)</td>
<td>7.798</td>
<td>7.663</td>
<td>7.760</td>
<td>7.564</td>
<td>6.026</td>
<td>4.501</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</body>
</html>

The Bank for International Settlements today reported international banking statistics for Q3 2005, on a provisional basis. These data are contained in Haver's BIS database, which includes basically all the tables in the BIS Quarterly [...]

BIS Totals $20.7 Trillion in International Banking Assets on 9/30

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<img align="left" border="0" height="265" src="https://haver-commentaries.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/comments/060126b.jpg" width="353">
Initial claims for unemployment insurance ticked 11,000 higher to 283,000 following a little revised 36,000 decline the prior week. Consensus expectations had been for 305,000 claims.
During the last ten years there has been a (negative) 75% correlation between the level of initial jobless insurance claims and the m/m change in payroll employment.
The four-week moving average of initial claims fell further to 288,750 (-14.1% y/y), its lowest level since June 2000.
Continuing unemployment insurance claims increased 53,000 following a deepened 154,000 decline the prior week.
The insured rate of unemployment held at 2.0% for the second week.

<table border="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%">
<colgroup><col><col><col><col><col><col></colgroup>
<thead>
<tr>
<th scope="col" class="firstcol"><a href="http://www.haverselect.com/dlx/WEEKLY/@W5/@W507/@W507.HTM">Unemployment Insurance (000s)</a></th>
<th scope="col">01/21/06</th>
<th scope="col">01/14/06</th>
<th scope="col">Y/Y</th>
<th scope="col">2005</th>
<th scope="col">2004</th>
<th scope="col">2003</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td class="firstcol">Initial Claims</td>
<td>283</td>
<td>272</td>
<td>-11.8%</td>
<td>332</td>
<td>343</td>
<td>402</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="firstcol">Continuing Claims</td>
<td>--</td>
<td>2,581</td>
<td>-7.0%</td>
<td>2,663</td>
<td>2,924</td>
<td>3,532</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</body>
</html>

Initial claims for unemployment insurance ticked 11,000 higher to 283,000 following a little revised 36,000 decline the prior week. Consensus expectations had been for 305,000 claims. During the last ten years there has been a [...]

Initial Jobless Insurance Claims Up A Bit

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<img align="left" border="0" height="265" src="https://haver-commentaries.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/comments/060126a.jpg" width="353">
Orders for durable goods in December rose 1.3% following an upwardly revised 5.4% increase in November. The rise about matched Consensus expectations for a 1.0% gain, however, the details of the report painted a more constructive picture of factory sector activity than was portrayed in the November release.
Aircraft &amp; parts orders which rose 77% and 69% in October &amp; November, respectively, and dominated those two months&#39; reports fell just 2.9% and were triple the year earlier level in December.
Moving in the other direction, new orders for motor vehicles &amp; parts rose 6.6% (-1.3% y/y) following two months of sharp decline.
Less the transportation sector altogether, durable goods orders rose 0.9% following an upwardly revised 0.6% November increase.
Machinery orders rose 6.5% (10.9% y/y) after a 3.1% November increase, initially reported as a decline. Fabricated metals orders rose 1.3% (3.2% y/y) following a 1.6% November decline that was shallower than initially reported and orders for computers &amp; related products rose 1.5% (8.0% y/y) after an upwardly revised 8.1% November increase.
Orders for nondefense capital goods fell 0.6% due to the drop in aircraft but less aircraft, nondefense capital goods orders increased 3.5% after a slight November increase that initially was reported as a 2.0% drop.
On the downside in December were communications equipment orders which fell 3.3% (-7.4% y/y) and electrical equipment orders which fell 2.8% (+14.8% y/y).
Shipments of durable goods jumped 3.5% (6.7% y/y) in December following a 0.6% November increase. Less the transportation sector, shipments rose 2.3% (6.0% y/y) after an upwardly revised 0.5% November increase.
Order backlogs surged another 2.4% (16.3% y/y) due to the high level of aircraft orders. Less transportation backlogs ticked up 0.3% (10.0% y/y) and the ratio of backlogs to shipments outside of transportation fell from the November high.
Durable inventories ticked 0.1% higher (3.5% y/y) after an upwardly revised 0.8% November increase.

<table border="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%">
<colgroup><col><col><col><col><col><col></colgroup>
<thead>
<tr>
<th scope="col" class="firstcol"><a href="http://www.haverselect.com/dlx/USECON/@ED/@ED01/@ED0101/@ED0101.HTM">NAICS Classification</a></th>
<th scope="col">Dec</th>
<th scope="col">Nov</th>
<th scope="col">Y/Y</th>
<th scope="col">2005</th>
<th scope="col">2004</th>
<th scope="col">2003</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr class="odd">
<td class="firstcol">Durable Goods Orders</td>
<td>1.3%</td>
<td>5.4%</td>
<td>12.7%</td>
<td>8.5%</td>
<td>9.5%</td>
<td>4.1%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="firstcol">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Excluding Transportation</td>
<td>0.9%</td>
<td>0.6%</td>
<td>5.8%</td>
<td>8.5%</td>
<td>11.7%</td>
<td>3.1%</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td class="firstcol">Nondefense Capital Goods</td>
<td>-0.6%</td>
<td>22.2%</td>
<td>31.3%</td>
<td>19.7%</td>
<td>11.0%</td>
<td>4.2%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="firstcol">&nbsp;Excluding Aircraft</td>
<td>3.5%</td>
<td>0.2%</td>
<td>7.0%</td>
<td>10.6%</td>
<td>9.5%</td>
<td>4.8%</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</body>
</html>

Orders for durable goods in December rose 1.3% following an upwardly revised 5.4% increase in November. The rise about matched Consensus expectations for a 1.0% gain, however, the details of the report painted a more constructive [...]

U.S. Durable Goods Orders Recover

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<img align="left" border="0" height="265" src="https://haver-commentaries.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/comments/060126a.jpg" width="353">
Orders for durable goods in December rose 1.3% following an upwardly revised 5.4% increase in November. The rise about matched Consensus expectations for a 1.0% gain, however, the details of the report painted a more constructive picture of factory sector activity than was portrayed in the November release.
Aircraft &amp; parts orders which rose 77% and 69% in October &amp; November, respectively, and dominated those two months&#39; reports fell just 2.9% and were triple the year earlier level in December.
Moving in the other direction, new orders for motor vehicles &amp; parts rose 6.6% (-1.3% y/y) following two months of sharp decline.
Less the transportation sector altogether, durable goods orders rose 0.9% following an upwardly revised 0.6% November increase.
Machinery orders rose 6.5% (10.9% y/y) after a 3.1% November increase, initially reported as a decline. Fabricated metals orders rose 1.3% (3.2% y/y) following a 1.6% November decline that was shallower than initially reported and orders for computers &amp; related products rose 1.5% (8.0% y/y) after an upwardly revised 8.1% November increase.
Orders for nondefense capital goods fell 0.6% due to the drop in aircraft but less aircraft, nondefense capital goods orders increased 3.5% after a slight November increase that initially was reported as a 2.0% drop.
On the downside in December were communications equipment orders which fell 3.3% (-7.4% y/y) and electrical equipment orders which fell 2.8% (+14.8% y/y).
Shipments of durable goods jumped 3.5% (6.7% y/y) in December following a 0.6% November increase. Less the transportation sector, shipments rose 2.3% (6.0% y/y) after an upwardly revised 0.5% November increase.
Order backlogs surged another 2.4% (16.3% y/y) due to the high level of aircraft orders. Less transportation backlogs ticked up 0.3% (10.0% y/y) and the ratio of backlogs to shipments outside of transportation fell from the November high.
Durable inventories ticked 0.1% higher (3.5% y/y) after an upwardly revised 0.8% November increase.

<table border="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%">
<colgroup><col><col><col><col><col><col></colgroup>
<thead>
<tr>
<th scope="col" class="firstcol"><a href="http://www.haverselect.com/dlx/USECON/@ED/@ED01/@ED0101/@ED0101.HTM">NAICS Classification</a></th>
<th scope="col">Dec</th>
<th scope="col">Nov</th>
<th scope="col">Y/Y</th>
<th scope="col">2005</th>
<th scope="col">2004</th>
<th scope="col">2003</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr class="odd">
<td class="firstcol">Durable Goods Orders</td>
<td>1.3%</td>
<td>5.4%</td>
<td>12.7%</td>
<td>8.5%</td>
<td>9.5%</td>
<td>4.1%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="firstcol">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Excluding Transportation</td>
<td>0.9%</td>
<td>0.6%</td>
<td>5.8%</td>
<td>8.5%</td>
<td>11.7%</td>
<td>3.1%</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td class="firstcol">Nondefense Capital Goods</td>
<td>-0.6%</td>
<td>22.2%</td>
<td>31.3%</td>
<td>19.7%</td>
<td>11.0%</td>
<td>4.2%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="firstcol">&nbsp;Excluding Aircraft</td>
<td>3.5%</td>
<td>0.2%</td>
<td>7.0%</td>
<td>10.6%</td>
<td>9.5%</td>
<td>4.8%</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
Initial Jobless Insurance Claims Up A Bit 
by <a href="/comment/Moeller.html">Tom Moeller</a> January 26, 2006


<img align="left" border="0" height="265" src="https://haver-commentaries.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/comments/060126b.jpg" width="353">
Initial claims for unemployment insurance ticked 11,000 higher to 283,000 following a little revised 36,000 decline the prior week. Consensus expectations had been for 305,000 claims.
During the last ten years there has been a (negative) 75% correlation between the level of initial jobless insurance claims and the m/m change in payroll employment.
The four-week moving average of initial claims fell further to 288,750 (-14.1% y/y), its lowest level since June 2000.
Continuing unemployment insurance claims increased 53,000 following a deepened 154,000 decline the prior week.
The insured rate of unemployment held at 2.0% for the second week.

<table border="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%">
<colgroup><col><col><col><col><col><col></colgroup>
<thead>
<tr>
<th scope="col" class="firstcol"><a href="http://www.haverselect.com/dlx/WEEKLY/@W5/@W507/@W507.HTM">Unemployment Insurance (000s)</a></th>
<th scope="col">01/21/06</th>
<th scope="col">01/14/06</th>
<th scope="col">Y/Y</th>
<th scope="col">2005</th>
<th scope="col">2004</th>
<th scope="col">2003</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td class="firstcol">Initial Claims</td>
<td>283</td>
<td>272</td>
<td>-11.8%</td>
<td>332</td>
<td>343</td>
<td>402</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="firstcol">Continuing Claims</td>
<td>--</td>
<td>2,581</td>
<td>-7.0%</td>
<td>2,663</td>
<td>2,924</td>
<td>3,532</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
BIS Totals $20.7 Trillion in International Banking Assets on 9/30 
by <a href="/comment/Stone.html">Carol Stone</a> January 26, 2006


<img align="left" border="0" height="265" src="https://haver-commentaries.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/comments/060126c.jpg" width="353">
The Bank for International Settlements today reported international banking statistics for Q3 2005, on a provisional basis. These data are contained in Haver&#39;s BIS database, which includes basically all the tables in the BIS Quarterly Review. The objective of this highly detailed data collection effort is to provide indications of the exposure of reporting countries&#39; banking systems to international developments. There are 39 reporting countries whose central banks provide comprehensive data on gross external assets and liabilities of their nation&#39;s banks with immediate borrowers. These reporting countries are mostly developed countries, but banks in emerging economies, such as Brazil, Mexico and Turkey, also report, along with a number of offshore banking centers. Claims and liabilities are classified by country and sector of the counter-party, by currency and by type of instrument, among other features. Of these 39 countries, 30 also report &quot;consolidated&quot; data, which net out inter-bank flows and indicate the amount of &quot;ultimate&quot; risk, including derivatives as well as on-balance-sheet items. In the following discussion, we look simply at the total of gross claims -- or assets -- for Q3 held by banks in various countries and the distribution of the so-called &quot;vis-&agrave;-vis&quot; countries which have incurred them.
At the end of September, external claims of banks in the 39 reporting countries totaled $20.713 trillion. This compares with $20.268 trillion on June 30 and $19,198.3 billion at the end of 2004. The largest claims are assets of banks in the UK, $4.122 trillion. The US is third in this ranking, having $1.965 trillion in foreign assets, while Germany is second at $2.184 trillion. Banks in Japan, France and the Cayman Islands all have more than $1.0 trillion in external assets.<img align="right" border="0" height="265" src="https://haver-commentaries.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/comments/060126d.jpg" width="353">
Frequently, in considering banking figures such as these, the public tends to focus on the debts of developing or emerging market countries. But, as measured here, these are smaller than might be expected: BIS reporting banks&#39; assets in these countries came to only $1.338 trillion, 6.5% of the total. In an absolute sense, of course, $1.3 trillion is a large amount, and it probably carries more risk than the substantially bigger assets in more developed countries. The largest claims in this group of countries involve China and South Korea.
By type, loans constitute about three-quarters of these banking system assets. By currency, US dollar assets totaled $8.435 trillion on September 30. The next biggest currency is the euro, with $7.798 trillion. Non-trivial amounts are also denominated in yen, pounds and Swiss francs.
This is a quarterly release, with year-end 2005 likely to be released on April 25. The BIS established these reports as the eurocurrency markets developed in the 1970s. They were enhanced following significant international incidents, especially including the original Mexican debt crisis in 1983 and the Russian default in 1998.

<table border="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%">
<colgroup><col><col><col><col></colgroup>
<thead>
<tr>
<th scope="col" class="firstcol"><a href="http://www.haverselect.com/dlx/BIS/BIS.HTM">BIS</a> (All Data in Trillions US $)</th>
<th scope="col">Q3 2005</th>
<th scope="col">Q2 2005</th>
<th scope="col">Q1 2005</th>
Year-End
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr class="odd">
<td class="firstcol">2004</td>
<td>2003</td>
<td>2002</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="firstcol">Total</td>
<td>20.713</td>
<td>20.268</td>
<td>19.808</td>
<td>19.198</td>
<td>15.999</td>
<td>13.370</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td class="firstcol">UK Bank Assets</td>
<td>4.122</td>
<td>4.031</td>
<td>3.974</td>
<td>37.87</td>
<td>3.093</td>
<td>2.514</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="firstcol">German Bank Assets</td>
<td>2.184</td>
<td>2.167</td>
<td>2.191</td>
<td>2.151</td>
<td>1.786</td>
<td>1.384</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td class="firstcol">Claims on Developed Countries</td>
<td>16.372</td>
<td>16.038</td>
<td>15.765</td>
<td>15.206</td>
<td>12.714</td>
<td>10.619</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="firstcol">Claims on Developing Countries</td>
<td>1.338</td>
<td>1.266</td>
<td>1.251</td>
<td>1.180</td>
<td>1.007</td>
<td>0.877</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td class="firstcol">US Dollar Denominated</td>
<td>8.435</td>
<td>8.197</td>
<td>7.662</td>
<td>7.356</td>
<td>6.362</td>
<td>5.664</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="firstcol">Euro Denominated (US$ value)</td>
<td>7.798</td>
<td>7.663</td>
<td>7.760</td>
<td>7.564</td>
<td>6.026</td>
<td>4.501</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
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<img align="left" border="0" height="265" src="https://haver-commentaries.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/comments/070125c.jpg" width="353">
Sales of existing homes fell 0.8% to 6.220M last month after two consecutive months of slight gain. Sales remained down 14.4% from the peak during June of 2005 and during all of last year sales fell 8.0% from the 2005 average.
Sales of single family homes fell a sharper 1.3% last month after no change during November. Sales were 14.1% lower than during the peak month of June 2005 and sales fell 7.7% for the full year.
Existing single family home prices in December firmed 2.3% for after four consecutive months of decline. Prices remained down 4.0% from the peak this past July but for all of last year posted a 2.3% gain, the weakest on record.<img align="right" border="0" height="265" src="https://haver-commentaries.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/comments/070125d.jpg" width="353">
By region, single family home sales fell 1.3% (-2.5% y/y) in the Northeast and were off 5.9% for all of 2005. Out West sales dropped 9.9% (-14.8% y/y) in December but cratered 16.7% for the full year. Sales in the Midwest actually rose 3.2% (-5.1% y/y) in December but posted a 6.1% decline for 2006 and in the South sales ticked up 0.4% (-6.6% y/y), off 3.8% for the year.
The inventory of &quot;homes on the market&quot; dropped a sharp 7.9% (+23.3% y/y) in December, the fourth decline in the last five month. At current sales rates, the inventory of homes for sale amounts to 6.8 months, down from the 7.4 month peak in October.
The broad aggregate data on existing home sales are included in Haver&#39;s USECON database; details about prices by region and inventories are available in the REALTOR database. 

<table border="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%">
<colgroup><col><col><col><col><col><col></colgroup>
<thead>
<tr>
<th scope="col" class="firstcol">Existing Home Sales (SAAR, 000s)</th>
<th scope="col">December</th>
<th scope="col">November</th>
<th scope="col">Y/Y</th>
<th scope="col">2006</th>
<th scope="col">2005</th>
<th scope="col">2004</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr class="odd">
<td class="firstcol">Total Sales</td>
<td>6,220</td>
<td>6,270</td>
<td>-7.9%</td>
<td>6,500</td>
<td>7,064</td>
<td>6,722</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="firstcol">Single-Family Sales</td>
<td>5,440</td>
<td>5,510</td>
<td>-7.2%</td>
<td>5,697</td>
<td>6,170</td>
<td>5,912</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td class="firstcol">Median Single-Family Home Price (NSA,000s)</td>
<td>$221.6</td>
<td>$216.7</td>
<td>0.0%</td>
<td>$222.4</td>
<td>$217.5</td>
<td>$192.8</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
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Sales of existing homes fell 0.8% to 6.220M last month after two consecutive months of slight gain. Sales remained down 14.4% from the peak during June of 2005 and during all of last year sales fell 8.0% from the 2005 average. Sales [...]

December Existing Home Sales Fell, 2006 Price Gain Weakest on Record

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<img align="left" border="0" height="265" src="https://haver-commentaries.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/comments/070125c.jpg" width="353">
Sales of existing homes fell 0.8% to 6.220M last month after two consecutive months of slight gain. Sales remained down 14.4% from the peak during June of 2005 and during all of last year sales fell 8.0% from the 2005 average.
Sales of single family homes fell a sharper 1.3% last month after no change during November. Sales were 14.1% lower than during the peak month of June 2005 and sales fell 7.7% for the full year.
Existing single family home prices in December firmed 2.3% for after four consecutive months of decline. Prices remained down 4.0% from the peak this past July but for all of last year posted a 2.3% gain, the weakest on record.<img align="right" border="0" height="265" src="https://haver-commentaries.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/comments/070125d.jpg" width="353">
By region, single family home sales fell 1.3% (-2.5% y/y) in the Northeast and were off 5.9% for all of 2005. Out West sales dropped 9.9% (-14.8% y/y) in December but cratered 16.7% for the full year. Sales in the Midwest actually rose 3.2% (-5.1% y/y) in December but posted a 6.1% decline for 2006 and in the South sales ticked up 0.4% (-6.6% y/y), off 3.8% for the year.
The inventory of &quot;homes on the market&quot; dropped a sharp 7.9% (+23.3% y/y) in December, the fourth decline in the last five month. At current sales rates, the inventory of homes for sale amounts to 6.8 months, down from the 7.4 month peak in October.
The broad aggregate data on existing home sales are included in Haver&#39;s USECON database; details about prices by region and inventories are available in the REALTOR database. 

<table border="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%">
<colgroup><col><col><col><col><col><col></colgroup>
<thead>
<tr>
<th scope="col" class="firstcol">Existing Home Sales (SAAR, 000s)</th>
<th scope="col">December</th>
<th scope="col">November</th>
<th scope="col">Y/Y</th>
<th scope="col">2006</th>
<th scope="col">2005</th>
<th scope="col">2004</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr class="odd">
<td class="firstcol">Total Sales</td>
<td>6,220</td>
<td>6,270</td>
<td>-7.9%</td>
<td>6,500</td>
<td>7,064</td>
<td>6,722</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="firstcol">Single-Family Sales</td>
<td>5,440</td>
<td>5,510</td>
<td>-7.2%</td>
<td>5,697</td>
<td>6,170</td>
<td>5,912</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td class="firstcol">Median Single-Family Home Price (NSA,000s)</td>
<td>$221.6</td>
<td>$216.7</td>
<td>0.0%</td>
<td>$222.4</td>
<td>$217.5</td>
<td>$192.8</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
Help-Wanted Advertising Finally Popped 
by <a href="/comment/Moeller.html">Tom Moeller</a> January 25, 2007


<img align="left" border="0" height="265" src="https://haver-commentaries.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/comments/070125e.jpg" width="353">
The Conference Board reported that its Index of Help-Wanted Advertising in December popped upwards to 33, its highest level since June.
During the last ten years there has been a 57% correlation between the level of help-wanted advertising and the three month change in non-farm payrolls.
The proportion of labor markets with rising want-ad volume also surged to 77%, the highest level since July of 2005.
The Conference Board surveys help-wanted advertising volume in 51 major newspapers across the country every month.
The latest help wanted report from the Conference Board is available <a href="http://www.conference-board.org/economics/helpwanted.cfm">here</a>.

<table border="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%">
<colgroup><col><col><col></colgroup>
<thead>
<tr>
<th scope="col" class="firstcol"><a href="http://www.haverselect.com/dlx/CBDB/@C3/@C3.HTM">Conference Board</a></th>
<th scope="col">December</th>
<th scope="col">November</th>
<th scope="col">December &#39;05</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td class="firstcol">National Help Wanted Index</td>
<td>33</td>
<td>29</td>
<td>38</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
Initial Jobless Insurance Claims Jumped 
by <a href="/comment/Moeller.html">Tom Moeller</a> January 25, 2007


<img align="left" border="0" height="265" src="https://haver-commentaries.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/comments/070125a.jpg" width="353">
Initial unemployment insurance claims jumped 36,000 to 325,000 last week and reversed all of the declines over the prior two weeks. Consensus expectations had been for a lesser increase to 310,000.
During the last ten years there has been a (negative) 77% correlation between the level of initial claims and the m/m change in nonfarm payroll employment.
The four-week moving average of initial claims increased modestly to 309,250 (7.1% y/y). <img align="right" border="0" height="265" src="https://haver-commentaries.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/comments/070125b.jpg" width="353">
Continuing claims for unemployment insurance fell 39,000 and reversed part of the prior week&#39;s 113,000 surge.
The insured rate of unemployment remained at 1.9%, about where it&#39;s been since February.
The Budget &amp; Economic Outlook: Fiscal Years 2007 to 2016 from the Congressional Budget Office can be found<a href="http://www.cbo.gov/ftpdocs/70xx/doc7027/01-26-BudgetOutlook.pdf"> here</a>.

<table border="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%">
<colgroup><col><col><col><col><col><col></colgroup>
<thead>
<tr>
<th scope="col" class="firstcol"><a href="http://www.haverselect.com/dlx/WEEKLY/@W5/@W507/@W507.HTM">Unemployment Insurance (000s)</a></th>
<th scope="col">01/20/07</th>
<th scope="col">01/13/07</th>
<th scope="col">Y/Y</th>
<th scope="col">2006</th>
<th scope="col">2005</th>
<th scope="col">2004</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td class="firstcol">Initial Claims</td>
<td>325</td>
<td>289</td>
<td>15.7%</td>
<td>313</td>
<td>332</td>
<td>343</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="firstcol">&nbsp;Continuing Claims</td>
<td>--</td>
<td>2,484</td>
<td>-3.2%</td>
<td>2,459</td>
<td>2,662</td>
<td>2,924</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
China GDP Grows 10.7% in 2006, But Manufacturing Gains Appear To Moderate Late in the Year 
by <a href="/comment/Stone.html">Carol Stone</a> January 25, 2007


<img align="left" border="0" height="265" src="https://haver-commentaries.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/comments/070125g.jpg" width="353">
China&#39;s economy continued to expand rapidly in Q4, according to GDP data reported today (Jan 25). The Q4 GDP was 10.4% above that for Q4 2005, making the whole year 10.7% above 2005. This was the strongest yearly performance since 1995.
China, of course, has become the world&#39;s manufacturing center, and it is that industrial sector that drove the further acceleration in the annual outcome. This is called secondary industry by the Chinese national accounts compilers; the product of that segment expanded by 12.5% in the year, about the same as 12.7% in 2003, and otherwise the largest growth since 1995. The secondary industries are manufacturing, mining, utilities and construction. Primary industries, which include agriculture, forestry and fishing, expanded 5.0%, and tertiary industries, basically the service sector, grew 10.3%, about in line with the last seven or eight years&#39; gains. <img align="right" border="0" height="265" src="https://haver-commentaries.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/comments/070125h.jpg" width="353">
While these data are &quot;provisional&quot; according to China&#39;s National Bureau of Statistics, they do contain a hint of slowing in the key secondary industry sector. Its gross product had been up as much as 13.2% in Q2, year-to-date over the comparable year-ago period. So there has apparently been moderate easing through the second half of the year to the cumulative total of 12.5%. This is also apparent in monthly data on industrial production. Year-on-year growth rates in the autumn months had decreased to 14-3/4% from 18% in the spring. This of course still shows dramatic strength -- which indeed may elicit interest rate increases from the Central Bank -- but the less ebullient performance does suggest that there may be some capacity limits on Chinese activity. We could guess they are at least partially energy-related.

<table border="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%">
<colgroup><col><col><col><col><col><col><col></colgroup>
<thead>
<tr>
<th scope="col" class="firstcol"><a href="http://www.haverselect.com/dlx/EMERGEPR/@P1/@P12/@P12.HTM">CHINA</a></th>
<th scope="col">Q4 2006</th>
<th scope="col">Q3 2006</th>
<th scope="col">Q2 2006</th>
<th scope="col">Year Ago</th>
<th scope="col">2006</th>
<th scope="col">2005</th>
<th scope="col">2004</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr class="odd">
<td class="firstcol">Real GDP: Yr/Yr % Change</td>
<td>10.4</td>
<td>10.6</td>
<td>11.5</td>
<td>9.9</td>
<td>10.7</td>
<td>9.9</td>
<td>9.5</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="firstcol">Year-to-Date % Change</td>
<td>10.7</td>
<td>10.7</td>
<td>10.9</td>
<td>10.4</td>
<td>10.7</td>
<td>10.4</td>
<td>10.1</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td class="firstcol">Primary Industries</td>
<td>5.0</td>
<td>4.9</td>
<td>5.1</td>
<td>5.2</td>
<td>5.0</td>
<td>5.2</td>
<td>6.3</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="firstcol">Secondary Industries</td>
<td>12.5</td>
<td>13.0</td>
<td>13.2</td>
<td>11.7</td>
<td>12.5</td>
<td>11.7</td>
<td>11.1</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td class="firstcol">Tertiary Industries</td>
<td>10.3</td>
<td>9.5</td>
<td>9.4</td>
<td>10.5</td>
<td>10.3</td>
<td>10.5</td>
<td>10.0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="firstcol">Nominal GDP: Bil.Yuan</td>
<td>5,659.6</td>
<td>5,129.3</td>
<td>5,024.1</td>
<td>4,820.0</td>
<td>20,834.0</td>
<td>18,232.1</td>
<td>15,987.0</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td class="firstcol">Bil.US$</td>
<td>719.9</td>
<td>644.0</td>
<td>627.2</td>
<td>596.3</td>
<td>2,614.7</td>
<td>2,226.1</td>
<td>1,931.6</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</body>
</html>

US is big leader in global surge in private AI investment

Larger-than-usual income tax refunds this year are supporting consumer spending

Sharply rising share of AI-related jobs

Inflationary impact of surge in oil prices larger in Europe than in the US

Futures market thinks the price of oil will recede significantly over the next six months

Recent pickup in US defense orders could help support overall growth ahead

Cost of transporting crude oil has soared to series high

Market-based inflation expectations have not yet reflected recent surge in oil prices

Global equity markets are fearing a major economic disruption from soaring oil prices

Is recent drop in sentiment signaling softer growth ahead?

With the Iran conflict, geopolitical risk has soared to alarming levels

Soaring AI-related investment in US underpinning strong contribution of business spending to overall growth

AI-related outperformance of IP in Advanced Asia ex Japan

Resilient US economy pushing up Blue Chip 2026 outlook

US and China big leaders in adoption of AI models

Robust US demand for advanced technology products

China's export growth rotating away from the US

More pronounced upward revisions in countries more exposed to AI investment

Stable job openings and hiring rates point to cautious hiring

Global freight costs are on the rise while supply chain pressures are contained

Accelerating positive economic surprises in the G10 are boosting the global economy

Considerably more monetary ease expected from US and UK as Japan tightens

Tighter US immigration enforcement adversely impacting labor force

Economic policy uncertainty, while still elevated, is declining

Gradual disinflation and easier monetary policies across advanced economies

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Sandy Batten

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Industrial production (IP) rose a much larger-than-expected 0.7% m/m in April, rebounding from an upwardly revised 0.3% m/m decline in March (previously -0.5% m/m), according to data released by the Federal Reserve Board. The Action Economics Survey looked for a 0.2% monthly gain. The y/y rate also rebounded in April, rising to 1.4% y/y after having fallen to 0.7% in March. IP has clearly trended up since late last year. Since November 2025, it has grown at a 3.6% annual rate. The current level of output is the highest since August 2019 but is still 1.5% below the November 2018 series peak.

Manufacturing output led the April rebound, rising 0.6% m/m (1.3% y/y) following an upwardly revised 0.1% monthly increase in March (previously -0.1% m/m). Mining output fell in April for the second consecutive month, edging down 0.1% m/m (+0.2% y/y) after a 1.6% monthly drop in March (revised down from -1.2% m/m). Utilities production rebounded in April, jumping 1.6% m/m (2.7% y/y) and more than offsetting a 1.4% monthly decline in March (revised up from -2.3% previously). The rebound in utilities output reflected a 1.1% rise in electricity production and a 7.3% monthly jump in natural gas distribution, the first monthly gain in four months.

Within manufacturing, durable goods production jumped 1.2% m/m (3.2% y/y) in April after having been unchanged in March. A 3.7% m/m rebound in motor vehicles and parts production, the largest monthly gain since May 2025, led the April increase. Motor vehicles and parts production had fallen 2.4% m/m in March. Production of computers and electronic products increased 1.5% m/m, the fourth consecutive monthly rise. Aerospace output rose 1.6% m/m in April, the third consecutive monthly gain and the largest since July 2025. By contrast, furniture production fell 1.8% m/m, the third consecutive monthly decline. 

Output of nondurable manufactured goods edged down 0.1% m/m (-0.6% y/y) in April, the first monthly decline in four months. Production of apparel and leather goods slumped 2.2% m/m on top of a 2.0% monthly fall in March. Chemical output fell 0.9% m/m in April, its first monthly decline in four months. Output of plastics and rubber products fell 0.9% m/m, the first monthly fall in four months. By contrast, production of petroleum and coal products rose 1.0% m/m in April, the same monthly increase as in March.

By market group, output of consumer goods rebounded in April, increasing 0.9% m/m (-0.2% y/y) following a 0.8% m/m decline in March. Production of business equipment surged 1.5% m/m (+6.0% y/y) in April, the largest monthly gain since March 2025. Output of construction supplies was unchanged in April from March (+1.2% y/y) following a 0.9% m/m gain in March. Materials production rebounded in April, rising 0.5% m/m (1.2% y/y) after a 0.4% m/m decline in March.

In special classifications, output of selected high-tech industries increased 1.0% m/m (+9.2% y/y) in April following a 0.5% monthly gain in March. The rebound in motor vehicles and parts production reflected a 5.3% monthly surge in vehicle output, the largest monthly gain since May 2025. Manufacturing output excluding selected high-tech industries rose 0.6% m/m in April, the largest increase since February 2025, following a 0.1% m/m increase in March. Manufacturing output excluding both selected high-tech industries and motor vehicles and parts advanced 0.3% m/m in April, the same monthly gain as in March.

Capacity utilization rose to 76.1% in April from 75.7% in March. The April reading was the highest since last August but was still 3.3%-points below its long-term (1972-2025) average. Manufacturing capacity utilization increased to 75.8% in April from 75.4% in March, 2.4%-points below its long-term average.

Industrial production and capacity data are in Haver’s **USECON** database. Additional detail on production and capacity utilization can be found in the **IP** database. The expectations figures come from the **AS1REPNA** database.



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- Total industrial output increased a much larger-than-expected 0.7% m/m in April with a small upward revision to March.
- Manufacturing output increased 0.6% m/m, led by a 5.3% m/m rebound in vehicle production.
- Mining output edged down 0.1% m/m, while utilities production rose 1.9% m/m.
- The headline rate of capacity utilization rose to 76.1% in April, its highest reading since last August but still well below its long-term average.


U.S. Industrial Production Jumped in April

Robert Brusca

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Industrial orders in Canada are back on an expansion path with orders growing 4.7% in March on top of a 6.9% gain in February. These statistics chronicle Canadian orders digging out from a hole they fell into early in 2026. Now the data show emerging sequential growth in Canadian orders, which are advancing 3.6% over 12 months at a 14.9% annual rate over six-months, and a 26.7% annual rate over three-months. Still, on the chart that plots the year-over-year growth rates these recent accelerated rates of growth appear as mere recoveries from what had been earlier weakness. It remains to be seen how much acceleration the Canadian economy will actually undergo.

Unfilled orders expanded in March for the second month in a row, growing 2.4% after growing 1.4% in February once again following the recovery theme.

Manufacturing shipments grew by 3% in March after growing 3.4% in February and after dropping sharply in January - again echoing the recovery theme. Durable goods show two months of increases with the March increase weak after a very strong rise in February. Motor vehicle output recovered very strongly in February, after falling at a 37.1% annual rate in January; motor vehicle output is up by 15% in March, a hefty growth rate but short of what was posted in February. Once again, we see an echo of the theme of recovery. However, shipments of durable goods excluding motor vehicles are less robust, after dropping 1.8% in January output rose by 3.8% in February and has fallen back, dropping by 1.1% in March, a small fly in the ointment of this recovery theme for Canada. And nondurable goods shipments saw a small increase in January of 0.2%, a flat February, and now an extremely strong, 5.6% month-to-month gain in March.

Canada's sequential growth rates are on the verge of showing broad acceleration. Orders clearly do accelerate from 12-months to six-months to three-months. Unfilled orders, however, accelerate over six-months compared to 12-months and then take a small step back over three-months to an annualized growth rate of 13.4% - a very small step back that is still far above the 12-month growth pace. Manufacturing shipments, too, show a small flaw in acceleration as the 6-month pace dips ever so slightly before logging a very strong 3-month pace. Durable goods then are an exception to the acceleration theme; however, nondurable goods get back on board with the strong acceleration move.

**Rankings**
The rank standings for these categories are based on annual growth rates and comparison with data extend back approximately 25 years. Orders have a 58-percentile standing, unfilled orders have a 57-percentile standing, while manufacturing shipments have a 62-percentile standing. Shipments for durable goods durables excluding motor vehicles and from motor vehicles as a stand-alone have rankings in their 30th- to 40th-percentiles, below their historic medians. (medians occur at a ranking of 50). However, nondurables have an extremely strong 80.5 percentile standing. The data are consistent, the recovery and progress with the exception that durable goods shipments that are not fully on board and languish below their historic median results. Ranking the data over six-month growth rates improves the results somewhat and brings motor vehicles on board for a growth rate that is above its historic median.

**Signs of improvement**
Goods-based industry shows signs of picking up even in March as oil prices were rising and industry was facing greater challenges. The US industrial production report for April, similarly, shows acceleration across the board, even as the economy continued to deal with the difficulties of rising oil prices. Of course, the Canadian US economies are closely linked; we would expect the manufacturing sectors to be performing with some degree of synchronization. However, there's no reason to be complacent about the outlook. Oil prices have continued to rise, the challenge to consumers is strong and across all countries. In the US special tax cuts enacted last year, which went into effect earlier this year, have helped to deliver extra money to consumers that have helped them deal with the oil price shock. But these were funds that were supposed to help stimulate the economy to higher growth and were planned by the President to help him with midterm elections coming later in the year. The US economy still has to deal with those realities with sharply divided political reality as well.

**Outlook**
The US acrimony with Canada has taken a back burner for a while. And as that has happened the Canadian economy has come back to life. However, Canada still has some problems with inflation although it also has a broader inflation target to accommodate some flexibility. And the prospect for more inflation because of global oil prices continues to hang in the balance. The results for March are encouraging but certainly not definitive. Canada has mounted a nice recovery after a period of difficulty earlier in the year but it's still hard to say what comes next.



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Canada

Canadian Industry Perks Up

Andrew Cates

**A Tug of War Between AI Hope and Geopolitical Shock**
The latest Blue Chip Economic Indicators survey highlights a growing divergence between economies benefiting from AI-driven optimism and those more exposed to the inflationary consequences of renewed geopolitical instability. Taiwan stands out as the clearest AI beneficiary, with growth forecasts revised sharply higher while inflation expectations have risen only modestly, reflecting surging semiconductor demand and continued investment in global technology supply chains. China also remains relatively resilient, supported by ongoing AI-related capital spending and stronger technology sectors. By contrast, the euro area and UK have seen much larger upward revisions to inflation forecasts alongside weaker or declining growth expectations, underscoring their greater vulnerability to the recent Middle East shock and higher energy costs. Korea sits somewhere in between: benefiting from the AI hardware cycle but still exposed to trade and energy headwinds. Overall, the chart illustrates the increasingly important push-and-pull shaping the global outlook: AI optimism and productivity hopes on one side, and geopolitical fragmentation, energy insecurity and supply-side inflation pressures on the other.

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**Forecasters See Contained Pass-Through**
Against this backdrop, our latest Blue Chip special question sought to gauge whether economists believe the recent rise in energy prices will remain largely contained — or whether it risks spilling more meaningfully into underlying global inflation dynamics. The results suggest forecasters have become somewhat less concerned about a broad and persistent inflationary impulse since April. A larger share of respondents in the May survey now expect only a “limited and temporary” pass-through into core inflation, while the proportion anticipating “moderate and persistent” effects has declined noticeably. Very few panelists expect significant second-round effects, implying that most still believe inflation expectations and wage-setting behaviour remain relatively well anchored. In part, this reflects confidence in central bank credibility and the view that softer global demand conditions will constrain firms’ pricing power. Yet the persistence of a sizeable minority still expecting moderate pass-through underscores the uncomfortable tension facing policymakers. 

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**Energy Reawakens as a US Inflation Driver**
While survey respondents generally expect only limited pass-through from higher energy prices into broader inflation, the latest US CPI data provide a reminder that the process may already be underway at the margin. April’s CPI report showed core inflation coming in slightly firmer than expected, suggesting underlying price pressures remain more persistent than many policymakers had hoped. The decomposition of CPI inflation highlights that services continue to dominate overall inflation dynamics, reflecting still-elevated wage and labour-intensive price pressures across the economy. However, the more notable recent development has been the renewed contribution from energy prices, which had previously acted as a disinflationary force through much of 2025. Food inflation has also remained comparatively steady, while non-energy goods prices continue to exert only modest upward pressure despite ongoing tariff and supply-chain concerns. Taken together, the data reinforce the idea that the US economy is not facing a classic demand collapse, but rather a more uncomfortable supply-side environment in which geopolitical energy shocks risk colliding with still-resilient domestic demand, AI-related investment spending and sticky service-sector inflation.

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**AI: The Powerful Counterweight to Geopolitical Headwinds**
If rising energy prices and geopolitical instability represent one major force shaping the current macroeconomic outlook, the extraordinary surge in AI-related investment represents the other. The latest data from Our World in Data show global private investment in AI accelerating sharply again in 2025, reaching close to $300 billion — more than double the level seen just two years earlier. The United States continues to dominate the global AI landscape, accounting for the overwhelming majority of private investment spending, while China and Europe remain considerably smaller contributors despite continued growth. The scale and speed of the 2025 increase is particularly striking given the broader backdrop of elevated policy uncertainty, trade fragmentation and concerns about slowing global productivity growth. In effect, the global economy is now being pulled in two competing directions: on one side, geopolitical tensions, supply-chain fragilities and more recent energy shocks are weighing on confidence and raising supply-side costs; on the other, AI enthusiasm is driving an enormous wave of capital expenditure, infrastructure build-out and technology-related demand. This helps explain why growth expectations — particularly in the US and parts of Asia — have remained comparatively resilient despite an increasingly uncertain global environment.

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**Industrial Winners and Losers in a Fragmenting Global Economy**
The divergence in industrial performance across advanced economies has become increasingly striking. Taiwan has emerged as one of the clearest beneficiaries of the global AI boom, with industrial production surging as semiconductor demand, data-centre investment and advanced electronics exports continue to accelerate. Denmark has also significantly outperformed, though for very different reasons, with the extraordinary global success of its pharmaceutical sector — particularly weight-loss and diabetes drugs — driving a powerful expansion in manufacturing output. By contrast, the UK and Germany have experienced a far weaker industrial recovery. In both cases, elevated energy costs and greater dependence on imported energy have weighed heavily on industrial competitiveness since the post-pandemic energy shock. Germany’s large manufacturing sector has been particularly exposed to higher natural gas prices and weaker external demand, while the UK has continued to struggle with a combination of high energy costs, weak productivity growth and subdued business investment. The chart highlights an increasingly important feature of the global economy: countries exposed to powerful structural growth themes such as AI or pharmaceuticals are pulling away from those still burdened by energy dependence and deteriorating industrial competitiveness.

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**China’s Pulse Is Picking Up Again**
China’s economic backdrop has shown clearer signs of improvement in recent months, with both the Citigroup Economic Surprise Index and the Yicai High Frequency Economic Activity Index moving higher. The rebound suggests that incoming data have begun consistently outperforming expectations after a prolonged period of disappointment. Part of the recent improvement likely reflects the cumulative effects of policy easing, including targeted fiscal support, infrastructure spending and further efforts to stabilise the property sector. Export demand has also remained more resilient than many expected, helped in part by the continued strength of global technology and AI-related supply chains. At the same time, improving domestic mobility and energy usage indicators point to firmer underlying activity momentum. The Yicai index itself is designed to provide a near real-time pulse of the Chinese economy using a basket of high-frequency indicators including subway usage, air pollution, coal consumption, freight activity, unemployment and bankruptcy trends. While China still faces significant structural headwinds — including weak household confidence, property-sector fragilities and deflationary pressures — the recent pickup suggests that growth momentum may be stabilising at a time when several other major economies are becoming more vulnerable to geopolitical and energy-related shocks.

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The global economy is still caught between two powerful and competing forces. On one side, the AI investment boom continues to support growth, industrial activity and equity markets, particularly in the US and parts of Asia. On the other, renewed Middle East tensions and higher energy prices are adding to inflation risks and broader policy uncertainty. The latest Blue Chip survey reflects this divide clearly: growth expectations have generally held up best in economies tied to AI-related investment and technology supply chains, while inflation forecasts have risen more sharply in more energy-exposed economies such as the UK and euro area (chart 1). Forecasters still largely expect only limited pass-through from higher energy prices into core inflation, although recent US CPI data suggest underlying price pressures remain somewhat sticky (charts 2 and 3). At the same time, the extraordinary continued surge in global AI investment — now approaching $300 billion annually — highlights the sheer scale of capital being deployed into semiconductors, data centres and digital infrastructure, particularly in the United States (chart 4). The divergence in industrial production trends also reinforces the growing gap between economies benefiting from structural growth drivers — such as Taiwan’s semiconductor sector and Denmark’s pharmaceutical industry — and those struggling with higher energy costs and weaker competitiveness, notably Germany and the UK (chart 5). Meanwhile, improving Chinese activity indicators suggest policy support and stronger technology demand may finally be helping to stabilise growth (chart 6). Overall, the world economy remains resilient, but increasingly uneven, with AI-related investment continuing to offset — though not eliminate — the drag from geopolitical fragmentation and rising energy insecurity.

Charts of the Week: The Tug of War

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Total retail sales rose a solid 0.5% m/m (4.9% y/y) in April on top of a slightly downwardly revised 1.6% monthly jump in March (previously 1.7%), according to data released by the U.S. Census Bureau. The Action Economics Forecast Survey looked for a 05% m/m gain. Excluding autos, other sales increased 0.7% m/m (6.3% y/y) in April following an unrevised 1.9% monthly jump in March. Expectations were for a 0.6% monthly increase. The strong performance in March and the additional solid gain in April put the April level up 7.8% at an annual rate from the Q1 average, providing a very solid start for Q2.

As expected, the continued rise in retail gasoline prices boosted gasoline sales further in April. Gasoline sales increased 2.8% m/m in April following a 13.7% m/m surge in March and accounted for more than 40% of the April increase in total sales. However, sales were solid even without gasoline sales. Total sales excluding gasoline rose 0.3% m/m in April versus a 0.7% monthly gain in March. Sales excluding both autos and gasoline increased 0.5% m/m in April following a 0.7% m/m rise in March.

The control group of sales (total sales excluding food services, autos, gasoline and building materials that the BEA uses to construct PCE in the national accounts) posted another solid increase in March, rising 0.5% m/m in April following an upwardly revised 0.8% m/m increase in March (previously (0.7% m/m). The solid performances of the control group sales in March and April provide a strong start to Q2. April control-group sales are 5.4% at an annual rate above the Q1 average, in line with the 5.7% annualized increase in Q1. Consumer spending remains surprisingly resilient notwithstanding the recent hit to disposable income from the marked increase in energy prices.

Sales across major sectors were varied in April. Consumers clearly spent more on necessities, owing largely to higher prices. Food sales increased 0.8% m/m in April on top of a 1.0% m/m rise in March. And as already noted, gasoline sales posted another outsized monthly increase. By contrast, department store sales slumped 3.2% m/m, clothing sales fell 1.5% m/m, auto sales declined 0.4% m/m and furniture sales fell 2.0% m/m. More encouragingly, sales of nonstore retailers rose 1.1% m/m, their fourth consecutive solid monthly gain. And sales at restaurants increased 0.6% m/m in April, their third consecutive monthly rise. Analysts frequently use restaurant sales as a barometer of consumer attitudes, believing that consumers would not eat out regularly if they were under serious financial stress.

Retail sales data can be found in Haver’s **USECON** database. The expectations figures are from the Action Economics Forecast Survey in **AS1REPNA**.


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- Total sales increase 0.5% m/m in April after a 1.6% monthly jump in March.
- Gasoline sales rose 2.8% m/m in April on top of a 13.7% surge in March.
- Auto sales fell 0.4% m/m after a 0.6% m/m rise in March.
- Excluding auto and gasoline sales, remaining sales increased by a solid 0.5% m/m in April versus a 0.7% m/m rise in March.
- Sales of the retail control group that is used to construct PCE rose 0.5% m/m in April and are 5.4% annualized above the Q1 average, providing a good start to Q2.


U.S. Retail Sales Slowed in April But Remained Solid

Kathleen Stephansen, CBE

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Initial claims for unemployment insurance rose by 12,000 to 211,000 in the week ending May 9, from 199,000 in the week ending May 2, revised from 200,000. The four-week average rose 750 to 203,750 in the week ending May 9, from 203,000 the May 2 week, revised from 203,250. The Action Economics/Haver Analytics Survey looked for 205,000 claims to have been filed. 

The total number of unemployment insurance beneficiaries—also known as “continuing claims”—rose by 24,000 to 1.782 million in the week ending May 2, from 1.758 million in the week ending April 25, revised from 1.766 million. The four-week moving average declined to 1.781 million in the latest week from 1.788 million in the April 25 week. The four-week moving average reached the lowest level since May 2024. The insured unemployment rate rose back to 1.2% in the week of May 2 from the one-week dip to 1.1% in the April 25 week. It had been at 1.2% since the week of November 29, 2025.

The insured unemployment rate varied greatly across individual states and territories. In the week ending April 25, the highest unemployment rates were in Rhode Island (2.29%), New Jersey and Massachusetts (both 2.20%), and Washington (2.15%). The lowest rates were in Florida and Louisiana (both 0.31%), South Dakota (0.32%), Alabama and Arkansas (both 0.36%), North Carolina (0.38%), Tennessee (0.47%) and Iowa, Kansas and Virginia (all 0.48%). Rates in other notable states include California (1.99%), New York (1.66%), Illinois (1.56%), Pennsylvania (1.28%), and Texas (1.03%). These state data are not seasonally adjusted.

Data on weekly unemployment claims are from the Department of Labor itself, not the Bureau of Labor Statistics. They begin in 1967 and are contained in Haver’s **WEEKLY** database and summarized monthly in **USECON**. Data for individual states are in **REGIONW** back to December 1986.


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- New claims rose by 12,000 to 211,000.
- Continuing claims rose by 24,000 to 1.782 million.
- The insured unemployment rate was back up to 1.2% in the week of May 2, from the one-week dip to 1.1% the prior week.

Economy in Brief: 2006

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