Economy in Brief

Last week, initial claims for unemployment insurance dipped by an expected 21,000. The decline to 554,000, however, reversed only a third of the prior week's 60,000 increase which was revised up slightly. As a result claims remained [...]

Last week, initial claims for unemployment insurance dipped by an expected 21,000. The decline to 554,000, however, reversed only a third of the prior week's 60,000 increase which was revised up slightly. As a result claims remained [...]

Our series on UK retail sales goes back to 1986. On that basis the current retail sales metrics are largely at their lowest for the entire series across measures except for inventories. Inventory-to-sales ratios are high, in the top [...]

According to the Mortgage Bankers Association, the total number of mortgage applications increased 5.6% last week and that recovered most of the prior week's decline. Applications remained firm to take advantage of lower interest [...]

The US current account deficit narrowed last quarter to $174.1 billion from a slightly revised $180.9 billion during 2Q. The 3Q deficit was shallower than the Consensus expectation for a reading of $179 billion. As a percentage of GDP [...]

The US current account deficit narrowed last quarter to $174.1 billion from a slightly revised $180.9 billion during 2Q. The 3Q deficit was shallower than the Consensus expectation for a reading of $179 billion. As a percentage of GDP [...]

More countries are reporting declining rates of inflation. Recently published inflation rates in the four largest countries of Europe--Germany, France, Italy and the United Kingdom--continue to trend downward, as can be seen in the [...]

Housing starts fell even further last month. The level of 625,000 units (SAAR) was the lowest in the series' history which dates back to 1959. It followed a downwardly revised October figure of 771,000. Consensus expectations had been [...]