Economy in Brief

The National Federation of Independent Business reported that its Small Business Optimism Index for October recovered to 96.1 following an unrevised decline to 95.3 during September. The latest level remained near highs of the last [...]

Japan's consumer confidence and economy watchers indices both have fallen in October. The economy watchers judgment of future conditions, their assessment of current conditions as well as their judgment on current employment [...]

There hasn't been enough strength recently in the U.S. industrial sector to fully offset developing economic weakness in the rest of the world. As a result, prices for industrial materials remain under pressure. The industrial [...]

Industrial trends in the European Monetary Union remain mixed in September. Of the 10 reporting countries, four of them showed declines in industrial production. Six countries show increases and four those have increases that are 1% [...]

Consumer credit outstanding increased $15.9 billion during September following a $14.0 billion August advance, initially reported as $13.5 billion. Expectations were for a $15.5 billion increase, according to the Action Economics [...]

Nonfarm payrolls grew 214,000 during October (1.9% y/y) following upwardly revised increases of 256,000 and 203,000 during the prior two months. The gain fell short of expectations for a 230,000 rise in the Action Economics Forecast [...]

German industrial production rose by 1.4% in September, offsetting part of the 3.1% August decline. Over three months, output is declining at a 0.7% annual rate, not quite as bad as a 2.4% annual rate drop over six months, but the [...]

Nonfarm payrolls grew 214,000 during October (1.9% y/y) following upwardly revised increases of 256,000 and 203,000 during the prior two months. The gain fell short of expectations for a 230,000 rise in the Action Economics Forecast [...]