Economy in Brief: August 2016

Despite the unchanged rate of unemployment in the EU and EMU in July, there are still a lot of unemployment changes occurring in the member countries. In July, seven of eleven early reporting EMU member countries had declines posted [...]

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) reported that pending home sales increased 1.3% during July following a 0.8% June decline, revised from +0.2%. These sales are reported as an index with 2001=100. The July value of 111.3 was [...]

The Chicago Purchasing Managers Business Barometer Index declined to 51.5 during August following an unrevised fall during July to 55.8. The figure compared to expectations for 54.4 in the Action Economics Forecast Survey. Haver [...]

The ADP/Moody's National Employment Report showed a 177,00 rise (1.9% y/y) in nonfarm private sector payrolls during August following a 194,000 July gain, revised from 179,000. So far this year, payrolls rose an average 184,000 per [...]

The Conference Board's Consumer Confidence Index increased 4.6% to 101.1 (-0.2% y/y) during August from 96.7 in July, revised from 97.3. The latest figure was at the highest level since September and surpassed expectations for 97.0 in [...]

The EU Commission indices for the EU and EMU fell hard in August. Their slippages have been ongoing. There are no more truly `strong sectors' in the EU, but the EMU is faring slightly better on that front. The strength in services and [...]

Regular gasoline prices increased to $2.24 per gallon (-10.9% y/y) last week following a rise to $2.19 during the week prior, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Prices remained down versus a 2014 high of $3.71 per gallon. [...]

Italian business and consumer confidence both sank in August. The Consumer Consumer confidence has been falling rapidly after having spiked in October 2015 and peaked on-one month later. Confidence has fallen in three of the last four [...]