Economy in Brief

The EU Commission indices for June 2014 show a slight decline in the reading for the overall European Union (EU) and a slightly larger decline for the countries of the European Monetary Union (EMU). The sector-wide indices for the EU [...]

The Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City reported that its June Composite index of 10th District factory sector activity eased to 6 versus 10 in May. The latest figure remained, nevertheless, in the range of readings earlier in the [...]

Initial unemployment insurance claims declined to 312,000 during the week ended June 21 from 314,000 in the prior week, revised from 312,000. The latest claims level matched expectations in the Action Economics Forecast Survey and [...]

Personal consumption expenditures rose 0.2% during May (3.7% y/y) following no change in April, revised from the 0.1% dip reported last month. A 0.4% rise had been expected in the Action Economic Forecast Survey. When adjusted for [...]

Household confidence in France improved to 86 in June from 85 in May. However, it is still below its level of 88 in March 2014. The index level sits in the lower 16th percentile of its historic queue of data. This tells us that it has [...]

The Mortgage Bankers Association reported that their total Mortgage Market Volume Index declined 1.0% last week (-44.7% y/y) and added to the prior week's 9.2% skid. Applications remained two-thirds below the peak in September 2012. [...]

New orders for durable goods declined 1.0% (+2.7% y/y) during May and reversed an unrevised 0.8% April rise. The decline contrasted with expectations for no change in the Action Economics Forecast Survey. Fewer new orders for [...]

The GfK German consumer confidence indicator rose to 8.9 in July from 8.6 in June. This forward looking indicator sits in the top 3% of its historic queue. Its components that lag by one month are also quite strong. The economic [...]