Economy in Brief: 2002

The Conference Board’s Index of Consumer Confidence fell in June, slightly more than expected. May's level was revised up slightly. The 3.5% m/m decline in the Conference Board measure was less than the decline in the mid-month [...]

Capital goods orders less the volatile aircraft sector have risen 8.7% from the monthly low reached last September. An improved economy and higher corporate profits account for the gain. Despite the gain, the capital goods sector is [...]

The Conference Board's National Index of Help-Wanted Advertising rose slightly in April. The modest decline in continuing claims for unemployment insurance may suggest hiring improvement when the May help-wanted figures are released, [...]

The U.S. foreign trade deficit deepened more than expected in April. March's deficit was revised deeper as were deficits for prior years. The trade deficit in 1Q averaged $31.6B, deeper than originally estimated. The degree of [...]

The Weekly Leading Index of the US economy published by the Economic Cycle Research Institute (ECRI) fell in early June. The decline reversed much of the index's forward progress in May. Despite the latest decline, the leading index's [...]

Consumer prices were unchanged last month versus Consensus expectations for a 0.1% rise. Less food & energy prices rose an expected 0.2%. Tobacco prices partially reversed their April surge and fell 2.7%. Excluding tobacco, the core [...]

Growth in the monetary aggregates, both broad and narrow, surged last month. The surge, however, was only back to a monthly rate of growth often observed through 2001. Earlier in 2002, growth in monetary aggregates slowed [...]

Total business inventories fell in April an expected 0.2%. The previously reported decline in March inventories was deepened due mostly to a lowered estimate of wholesale inventories. Retail inventories, reported for the first time, [...]