Economy in Brief

It's one of the main lessons the study of economics can teach. When something goes bad, less of it is wanted. This year, the percentage of underwritten mortgages in arrears broached 10.0%. Going back to 1972, when the data first [...]

The latest two reports on consumer sentiment suggest a gloomy state of affairs. First, the full-month August figure of 68.9 from the University of Michigan was lower than the mid-month reading. Second, this figure was nearly the [...]

Japan's CPI fell in July dropping by 0.3% month-to-month. Over three-months the inflation rate is decelerating faster at a pace of -1.6% even as it is slowing its pace over six months compared to 12-months. But ex-food and energy [...]

Disappointing news about the current economic recovery continued with today's report that U.S. real GDP growth last quarter was revised down. The new figure of 1.6% (AR) compared to 2.4% in the advance report. Still, the latest was [...]

Perhaps, recent indications of sequential deterioration in the labor market have topped out. Initial claims for unemployment insurance fell last week to 473,000 from 504,000 the week prior (originally 500,000). Claims were the lowest [...]

Perhaps, recent indications of sequential deterioration in the labor market have topped out. Initial claims for unemployment insurance fell last week to 473,000 from 504,000 the week prior (originally 500,000). Claims were the lowest [...]

The chart on money supply tells a good story about what is happening with global liquidity. Before the financial crisis, money supply growth in the major monetary center countries and regions was generally strong and excessive. In the [...]

This is the early release of the German IFO report. It shows a much brighter picture of the economy in Germany than had been expected. On first release Germany’s IFO does not provide us with that rich detail for which that the index [...]