Economy in Brief: September 2019

The unemployment rate in the EMU has fallen in August and the ongoing drop speaks to the ongoing economic expansion- not withstanding concerns to the contrary. However, the chart reminds us that any rise in the unemployment rate is an [...]

The Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas reported in its Texas Manufacturing Outlook Survey that the General Business Activity Index fell to 1.5 during September from 2.7 in July. It remained down sharply from the February 2018 high of 38.2 [...]

The Chicago Business Barometer weakened to 47.1 during September from 50.4 during August. It was the third reading in the last four months below the break-even point of 50. Expectations had been for 50.1 in the Action Economics [...]

Manufacturers' orders for durable goods rose 0.2% in August (-3.0% year-on-year) following a 2.0% increase of in July. The Action Economics Forecast Survey expected a 1.0% decline. Orders in the transportation sector decreased 0.4% [...]

The EU Commission index for the European Monetary Union countries has fallen to 101.7 in September from 103.1 in August. At this mark, the index has a 49.5 percentile standing on data back to late-1988. The 49.5 mark is barely below [...]

Consumers exhibited caution last month despite strength in earnings. Personal consumption expenditures edged 0.1% higher (3.7% y/y) during August following a 0.5% July rise, revised from 0.6%. A 0.3% gain had been expected in the [...]

Manufacturers' orders for durable goods rose 0.2% in August (-3.0% year-on-year) following a 2.0% increase in July. The Action Economics Forecast Survey expected a 1.0% decline. Orders in the transportation sector decreased 0.4% [...]

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) reported that U.S. pending home sales rose a larger-than-expected 1.6% m/m in August (+2.5% y/y) following a 2.5% m/m decline in July. Meanwhile, mortgage rates continued to decline. The [...]