Economy in Brief: September 2016

Fresh unemployment and inflation data are out for the EMU area. Inflation is starting to creep up as the impact of stable then rising oil prices is taking a toll. But the unemployment rate has been stuck for both the EU and the EMU [...]

The Chicago Purchasing Managers Business Barometer Index increased to 54.2 during September following an unrevised fall during August to 51.5. The figure compared to expectations for 51.9 in the Action Economics Forecast Survey. Haver [...]

Personal consumption expenditures were flat during August (3.8% y/y) following a 0.4% July advance, revised from 0.3%. A 0.1% rise had been expected in the Action Economics Forecast Survey. So far this year, spending has risen at a [...]

The plotted EU indices show some stabilization and pick up in the most recent data. The overall EU index bumped up to 105.6 in September from 103.8 in August. The August reading is the weakest since December 2014- quite a stretch. But [...]

Initial claims for jobless insurance increased to 254,000 (-8.3% y/y) in the week ended September 24 from 251,000 in the prior week, revised from 252,000. The figure remained near the lowest level since October 1973. The four-week [...]

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) reported that pending home sales fell 2.4% during August (-0.2% y/y) following a 1.2% rise, revised from 1.3%. These sales are reported as an index with 2001=100. The August value of 108.5 [...]

Economic growth during Q2'16 was revised higher to 1.4% (SAAR, 1.3% y/y) from 1.1% estimated last month and 1.2% in the advance report. A 0.8% gain had been expected in the Action Economic Forecast Survey. Business fixed investment [...]

The Mortgage Bankers Association reported that its total Mortgage Market Volume Index fell 0.7% last week (+23.9% y/y) to the lowest level since late June. Refinancing applications were off 1.6% (+34.0% y/y) and added to the prior [...]