Economy in Brief: 2010

As 2011 begins, the Baltic nation of Estonia will join the Euro Area, becoming the 17th country to use the euro currency. The last country to adopt the currency was Slovakia at the beginning of 2009. This event marks the retirement of [...]

As 2011 begins, the Baltic nation of Estonia will join the Euro Area, becoming the 17th country to use the euro currency. The last country to adopt the currency was Slovakia at the beginning of 2009. This event marks the retirement of [...]

Initial claims for unemployment insurance dropped last week to 388,000 from 422,000 during the prior period (revised from 420,000). This was the lowest count since 385,000 on July 12, 2008, and also the first below 400,000 since that [...]

It doesn’t matter that the PPI is accelerating in most Zone countries...or does it? The PPI has been rising rather rapidly for several months across a broad array of EMU nations. Over three-months the PPI is accelerating compared to [...]

Initial claims for unemployment insurance dropped last week to 388,000 from 422,000 during the prior period (revised from 420,000). This was the lowest count since 385,000 on July 12, 2008, and also the first below 400,000 since that [...]

OK. We know Europe has gone Teutonic on fiscal consolidation. So what is monetary policy doing to make sure that the financial austerity does not get out of hand and quash growth? Ohh, it's contracting. Isn't that special? Inflation [...]

The holiday spirit held right up until Christmas. Sales at chain stores increased 1.0% last week to the highest level since early-August. The increase followed a 1.7% gain during the week earlier. However, since the latest surges [...]

Today's report that home prices drifted down again confirms other reports of weakness in the housing sector including depressed levels of sales, starts and overall construction activity. During October, the seasonally adjusted Case- [...]