Economy in Brief: April 2017

The Chicago Purchasing Managers Business Barometer Index for April increased to 58.3 from 57.7 in March. It was the highest level since January 2015. The latest reading exceeded expectations for 57.0 in the Action Economics Forecast [...]

Economic growth slowed to 0.7% during Q1'17 following a 2.1% advance during Q4'16. It was the slowest rate of increase in three years and fell short of expectations for a 1.3% advance in the Action Economics Forecast Survey. Weakness [...]

Lifted by outsized rises in several industries, the employment cost index for civilian workers rose 0.8% (2.4% y/y) during Q1'17, compared to just 0.5% in Q4'16. A 0.6% rise had been expected in the Action Economics Forecast Survey. [...]

There is nothing here to knock your socks off. So you needn't be wearing sandals to read this. But the financial signals are glowing brighter. There is some noticeable acceleration in EMU money and credit growth. And those are good [...]

Economic growth slowed to 0.7% during Q1'17 following a 2.1% advance during Q4'16. It was the slowest rate of increase in three years and fell short of expectations for a 1.3% advance in the Action Economics Forecast Survey. Weakness [...]

The European monetary area continues to show progress. This month each one of the five indicators rose month-to-month and for the 16 reporting members of EMU all but Slovenia and Cyprus reported month-to-month gains in their overall [...]

The Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City reported that its index of regional manufacturing sector business activity declined sharply to 7 during April from an unrevised 20 in March. It was the lowest level since November. Most of the [...]

Initial unemployment insurance claims rose to 257,000 during the week ended April 22 from 243,000 in the prior week, revised from 244,000. It was the highest level of claims in four weeks. Expectations had been for 241,000 claims in [...]