Economy in Brief: April 2016

A firmer job market is lending strength to earnings power. Personal income increased 0.4% during March (4.2% y/y) following a 0.1% uptick in February, revised from 0.2%. A 0.3% increase had been expected in the Action Economics [...]

Chicago purchasing managers reported that their Business Barometer Index declined to 50.4 this month following a jump to 53.6 in March. The latest reading fell short of expectations for 53.0 in the Action Economics Forecast Survey. [...]

The employment cost index for civilian workers increased 0.6% (1.9% y/y) during Q1'16 following a 0.5% rise. The latest gain was as expected in the Action Economics Forecast Survey. Wages increased 0.7% (2.0% y/y) after a 0.5% rise, [...]

A firmer job market is lending strength to earnings power. Personal income increased 0.4% during March (4.2% y/y) following a 0.1% uptick in February, revised from 0.2%. A 0.3% increase had been expected in the Action Economics [...]

EMU unemployment fell to 10.2% in March after being stuck at 10.4% for three consecutive months. The EU rate fell to 8.8% in March after being steady at 8.9% in each of the two previous months. Most impressive is the cross-sectional [...]

Growth in the U.S. economy was barely positive last quarter. Real GDP improved 0.5% (SAAR, 1.9% y/y), the weakest rise since a decline in Q1'14. The advance was held back by weaker consumer spending growth, a decline in business [...]

Initial claims for unemployment insurance increased to 257,000 during the week ended April 23 after falling to 248,000 in the prior week, revised from 247,000. Expectations were for 255,000 applications in the Action Economics [...]

The EU Commission Indices for the EU and EMU showed gains in April. The EU index rose to 105.1 this month from 104.6 in March; the EMU index rose by 0.9% reversing its 0.9% drop last month. The EU index sits in the 60.7 percentile of [...]