Economy in Brief: September 2020

Setting aside the numbers that are so much more precise, a look at the graphics tells the clear story of the economy watchers index and its gauge of the future. Japan was hit hard by the virus; after a plunge the economy watchers [...]

• NFIB Small Business Optimism Index retraces most of July's decline. • Employment & pricing conditions improve. • Economy & sales readings soften. The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) Small Business Optimism Index [...]

• Strong job gains continue after coronavirus shutdowns ebb. • Census hiring boosts total. • Earnings growth improves. • Jobless rate declines to five-month low. Labor market healing is continuing. Nonfarm payroll employment increased [...]

German orders rose by 2.8% in July but are still lower over 12 months by 7.1%. This is a sharp slowing from the 28.8% one-month jump orders made in June. Both foreign and domestic orders slowed in July. Foreign orders rose by a still- [...]

• Strong job gains continue after coronavirus shutdowns ebb. • Earnings growth improves. • Jobless rate declines to five-month low. Labor market healing is continuing. Nonfarm payroll employment increased 1.371 million in August [...]

• Though easing slightly, service sector activity remains firm. • Component activity is mixed. • Pricing power strengthens. The Composite Index of Services Activity from the Institute for Supply Management fell to 56.9 during August [...]

The unweighted average and median composite PMIs across 22 global economies both eased slightly lower in August, but both measures stayed above 50 showing ongoing expansion. However, with the average at 50.9 and the median at 51.2, [...]

• Imports strengthen; oil prices jump. • Export gain remains firm. The U.S. trade deficit in goods and services ballooned to $63.56 during July from $53.46 billion in June, revised from $50.7 billion. A $52.7 billion deficit had been [...]