Economy in Brief: 2019

The Chicago Purchasing Managers Business Barometer rose less than expected to 46.3 in November reversing some of October’s decline to 43.2, which was the lowest level in four years. September’s value was 47.1. All of these readings [...]

U.S. pending home sales decreased 1.7% (+4.4% y/y) in October, according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR). This followed a 1.4% increase in September, which was revised from 1.5%. The October index level of sales was [...]

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) reported that U.S. pending home sales rose 1.5% (3.9% y/y) during September (Index 108.7 in Sept)....... The pending home sales index measures sales at the time the contract for the sale of [...]

Economic growth during Q3'19 was revised higher to 2.1% (2.1% y/y) from the advance estimate of a 1.9% rise. An unrevised reading of 1.9% rise had been expected in the Action Economics Forecast Survey. The increase roughly matched the [...]

Manufacturers' orders for durable goods unexpectedly rose 0.6% m/m (-0.7% y/y) in October following a downwardly revised 1.4% m/m decline in September. The Action Economics Forecast Survey had anticipated a 0.7% m/m decline for [...]

Initial claims for unemployment insurance declined 15,000 to 213,000 (-9.0% year-on-year) during the week ending November 23. The previous week was revised slightly higher to 228,000 (was 227,000). The late Thanksgiving holiday may [...]

The Conference Board's Consumer Confidence Index for November eased 0.5% (-8.0% y/y) to 125.5 after a little-revised 0.2% October decline. It was the fifth decline in the last six months and left the confidence level 9.1% below its [...]

Sales of new single-family homes slipped 0.7% m/m (+31.6% y/y) in October to 733,000 units SAAR. However, the 0.7% m/m decline to 701,000 initially reported for September was revised up significantly to a 4.5% m/m rise to 738,000 [...]