Economy in Brief

Volatility is the keyword for recent bookings in most categories of the durable goods factory sector, but the trend remains positive. Stronger orders for aircraft & parts were behind the advance report of a 2.7% jump in January [...]

For the fifth month in the last six, the National Association of Realtors reported a rise in existing home sales. Despite severe winter storms, the January gain of 2.7% to 5.560M from a revised 5.220M in December was to the highest [...]

Euro-Area orders continue to knock down some pretty good numbers. There was a slowing over the previous three months but since then orders have snapped back and are on a tear, up by 1.4% in Oct, 2.2% in Nov and 2.1% in Dec. The three [...]

The Mortgage Bankers Association reported that overall mortgage applications rebounded 13.2% last week and recovered most of the prior two weeks' decline. Nevertheless, applications remained near the lowest level since 2008. [...]

That was the cry in the 1985 hit movie "Back to the Future." Today, it's no joke. Now the risk that political turmoil in the country will involve others in the region has oil markets concerned about supply. As a result, crude oil [...]

The Belgian Bank Index is still pushing higher in February. It has in this recovery cycle crossed over into positive territory for the first time after flirting with the possibility in earlier months. The BNB index stands in the 82nd [...]

GfK, one of the largest market research companies in the world, reported today that German "consumer sentiment remains on the ascent"--the overall indicator has been rising steadily since June 2010, when it was 3.5, to 5.8 in February [...]

Consumers must like the combination of low price inflation, low interest rates and an improved job market. The Conference Board reported that the February index of consumer confidence rose 8.6% to 70.4 from an upwardly revised 64.8 in [...]