Economy in Brief

Consumer credit outstanding increased by $18.2 billion (6.3% y/y) during October following a $16.3 billion September rise, revised from $13.7 billion. Expectations had been for a $13.9 billion increase, according to the Action [...]

Consumers are feeling better about things. The index of consumer sentiment from the Reuters/University of Michigan survey jumped to 82.5 early this month from 75.1 during November. That recovered the declines since the July peak and [...]

German orders fell hard in October after an even stronger surge in Sept. September saw a sharp pullback in both foreign and domestic orders. But the foreign pullback followed a stronger surge in September while the domestic setback [...]

Job market improvement remains on a steady, if moderate, growth track. Nonfarm payroll employment grew 203,000 (1.7% y/y) during November following slightly revised gains of 200,000 and 175,000 during the prior two months. The rise [...]

Personal income fell in October by 0.1% (+3.4% y/y) after a gain of 0.5% in September. An October rise of 0.3% had been forecast in the Action Economics consensus survey. The drop occurred in farm income, down 15.2% in the month and [...]

Job market improvement remains on a steady, if moderate, growth track. Nonfarm payroll employment grew 203,000 (1.7% y/y) during November following slightly revised gains of 200,000 and 175,000 during the prior two months. The rise [...]

The outplacement firm of Challenger, Gray & Christmas reported that 45,314 job cuts (-20.6% y/y) were announced during November, roughly constant with October. Layoffs rose in the energy, entertainment/leisure, food, industrial goods, [...]

The rate of labor market improvement is strengthening. Initial claims for unemployment insurance fell to 298,000 last week (-19.5% y/y) following an unrevised 316,000 during the week ended November 23. It was nearly the lowest level [...]