Economy in Brief

The Chicago Federal Reserve reported that its National Activity Index (CFNAI) jumped to 0.60 last month from -0.07 during October. The latest level was the highest reached since November of 2012. As a result of the monthly gain, the [...]

The index of consumer sentiment from the Reuters/University of Michigan survey jumped to 82.5 for all of this month from 75.1 during November. That nearly recovered all of the decline since July and roughly matched expectations for an [...]

More confident individuals are dipping into savings to spend. The personal savings rate fell to 4.2% in November from a downwardly revised 4.5% in October. It was the lowest saving rate in nine months. The total amount of personal [...]

Real GDP growth for Q3'13 was revised up again, this time to 4.1% (2.0% y/y) from 3.6%. Growth was the firmest since Q4'11 and outpaced consensus expectations for a 3.6% rise in the Action Economics survey. Domestic final sales rose [...]

The German GfK consumer climate index has simply continued to expand. The index rise dates back to 2008 and it has risen from that point with only minor interruptions despite some real turbulence in the euro zone since the economic [...]

Sales of existing single-family homes fell 4.3% (-1.2% y/y) to 4.900 million (AR) during November from an unrevised 5.120 million in October. The decline from the August high totals 9.1%. November sales fell short of 5.050 million [...]

The index of Leading Economic Indicators, published by the Conference Board, was up 0.8% during November (5.2% y/y). That followed a modest 0.1% in October and was firmer than the 0.7% expected in the Action Economics Forecast Survey. [...]

The Philadelphia Federal Reserve Bank reported that its General Business Conditions Index for December rose slightly to 7.0 from 6.5 in November. The figure nevertheless remained near its lowest level since May and was weaker than [...]