Economy in Brief

Activity in the factory sector is weakening. Industrial production fell 0.6% during April following a 0.3% March increase, earlier reported as 0.4%. A 0.1% slip had been expected in the Action Economics survey. Declines in activity [...]

GDP growth in the European monetary union fell by 0.9% quarter-to-quarter expressed at an annual rate. This is a slightly reduced pace of decline compared to the -2.3% annual rate drop registered in the fourth quarter of 2012. Year- [...]

The producer price index for finished goods fell 0.7% last month (+0.7% y/y) and added to an unrevised 0.6% March shortfall. The decline roughly matched expectations for a 0.6% drop. Prices excluding food & energy ticked up an [...]

Industrial sector activity continues to lose forward momentum. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York reported that the Empire State Factory Index of General Business Conditions declined to -1.43 this month from an unrevised 3.05 in [...]

Industrial sector activity continues to lose forward momentum. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York reported that the Empire State Factory Index of General Business Conditions declined to -1.43 this month from an unrevised 3.05 in [...]

The upcoming summer driving season is lending strength to petroleum prices. The price of regular gasoline gained six cents last week to $3.60 per gallon yet it's still 4.0% lower than last year. Prices reached a peak of $3.78 per [...]

The Zew index that surveys financial experts in Germany moved lower in April compared to March for both its current and its expectations readings. The current reading notched down to a 9.2 net reading from 13.6 in March. The [...]

Prices in the U.S. foreign trade sector weakened further last month. Import prices fell 0.5% (-2.6% y/y) during April after a 0.2% March decline, earlier reported as -0.5%. The Action Economics survey looked for a 0.4% drop in prices. [...]