Economy in Brief: April 2018

The Chicago mixed manufacturing and services local index ticked slightly higher in April but kept most of the step down in place from last month. Over the last two months, the index is essentially back to where it had been between [...]

The Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas indicated in its Texas Manufacturing Outlook Survey that the April General Business Activity Index declined to 21.8, the lowest level since November and down from the February high of 38.4. Despite [...]

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) reported that pending home sales increased 3.1% (-4.1% y/y) in February to an index level of 107.5 (2001=100).............. The pending home sales index measures home sales when the sales [...]

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) reported that pending sales of existing homes increased 0.4% (-3.0% year-on-year) in March to an index level of 107.6 (2001=100). Sales have slowed somewhat with the first quarter averaging [...]

The chart shows the gradual roll-over in EMU money and credit growth. Both series have slowed over 12 months compared to their year-ago rates of growth. EMU private sector credit growth is at 1.4%, down from 1.8% a year ago. However, [...]

Personal consumption expenditures in March bounced back an expected 0.4% (4.4% y/y) following stability in February. The gain matched expectations in the Action Economics Forecast Survey. Real personal spending also rose 0.4% (2.4% [...]

The EU indexes for the EMU area showed an unchanged headline in April at 112.7. The sector indexes showed unchanged conditions in the industrial sector and construction. Falling on the month were retailing and services. The consumer [...]

The employment cost index for civilian workers rose 0.6% q/q in the fourth quarter of 2017, down from a 0.7% q/q rise in the third quarter. However, the y/y rate of increase advanced to 2.7% in the fourth quarter from 2.5% in the [...]