Economy in Brief

U.S. producer prices for finished goods fell 1.9% last month versus expectations for a 2.0% drop. The decline was the fifth in as many months. Nevertheless, 2008 was a year when price increases as a whole were stronger than during [...]

Total business inventories fell 0.7% during November and it was the third consecutive monthly decline. Inventories just aren't needed as sales drop. The 6.6% annual rate of decline in inventories during the last three months is the [...]

During December, total U.S. import prices declined another 4.2% after the revised 7.0% November drop. The decline fell short of Consensus expectations for a 5.3% decline. Petroleum prices continued down sharply last month by 21.4%. [...]

Recession clearly has come to the Euro Area and to its member countries. Industrial output is dropping at a horrendous pace. The sequential growth rates in the table below show that IP has gone from a Yr/Yr decline of 7.1% to [...]

Retail sales in December fell for the sixth consecutive month. Worse yet, the 9.8% year-to-year decline was a postwar record. The 2.7% drop last month followed declines of 2.1% and 3.4% during November and October which were greater [...]

Retail sales in December fell for the sixth consecutive month. Worse yet, the 9.8% year-to-year decline was a postwar record. The 2.7% drop last month followed declines of 2.1% and 3.4% during November and October which were greater [...]

The British Chamber of Commerce's economic survey conducted in the fourth quarter of 2008 showed an economy losing ground at an alarming rate. The survey collects the opinions of manufacturers and service providers on the state of a [...]

The U.S. government's budget deficit for December continued to reflect the combined effects of a U.S. recession as well as wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.The monthly deficit rose to $83.6 billion. While not large, it compares to a usual [...]