Economy in Brief: April 2020

The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) indicated that its Small Business Optimism Index plummeted 7.8% (-5.3% y/y) to 96.4 during March, the lowest level since October 2016. Almost all of the readings in the survey [...]

The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) indicated that its Small Business Optimism Index plummeted 7.8% (-5.3% y/y) to 96.4 during March, the lowest level since October 2016. Almost all of the readings in the survey [...]

On April 12, 2020, OPEC, Russia, the U.S. and some other oil-producing nations reached an agreement to cut the global production of crude petroleum, which, according to Reuters, reduce the global crude supply by 20%. Immediately after [...]

Globally the theme is corona, corona, corona. The virus and its progression dominates everything. Economists defer their forecasting to the whims of policymakers led by epidemiologists. But in the end, there remains a steady drumbeat [...]

• Commodity prices weaken broadly. • Declines most pronounced in petroleum & oil products group. The Industrial Materials Price Index from the Foundation for International Business and Economic Research (FIBER) declined 9.9% during [...]

The Industrial Materials Price Index from the Foundation for International Business and Economic Research (FIBER) declined 9.9% during the last four weeks and 19.2% over the last year. The price index fell to the lowest level since [...]

The U.S. Treasury Department reported that for the first six months of FY 2020, the federal government budget deficit rose to $743.59 billion, up 7.6% y/y. During March alone, the federal government ran a $119.13 billion budget [...]

Inflation risk in the face of corona: While the coronavirus grabs headlines and raises fears as it leaves a scattering of death around the globe, it is also wreaking havoc with economics, economic systems and any ability to create [...]