Economy in Brief

German output shows signs of slowing. The sequential growth rates in the table demonstrate that growth has slowed steadily from 12-mos to 6-mos to 3-mos. Output of consumer goods, weak over the entire period has weakened further in [...]

At an annual rate consumer credit grew 2.2% during December, down sharply from the revised 8.5% jump in November. For all of last year, however, credit growth picked up slightly to 5.5% from 4.5% in 2006. In fact growth last year was [...]

At an annual rate consumer credit grew 2.2% during December, down sharply from the revised 8.5% jump in November. For all of last year, however, credit growth picked up slightly to 5.5% from 4.5% in 2006. In fact growth last year was [...]

UK industrial production slowed sharply in December and major trends are all pointing lower. IP in December was weaker than had been assumed in the UK GDP report, raising the possibility that GDP could be revised lower. The quarterly [...]

The French trade trends show a declining profile in both the export and import rates of growth. French export growth shows faltering growth trends across its main categories except motor vehicles that rose over three months as well as [...]

German orders for December were stronger than expected, a mild positive surprise to markets. With the economy showing weakening signals and the euro strong, sentiment is shifting to look for some weaker results. As a result the spin [...]

The National Association of Realtors reported that the level of pending home sales in December fell 1.5% from November following that month's decline of 3.0%. These notable declines, however, followed increases during the prior two [...]

Initial claims for jobless insurance slipped 22,000 last week to 356,000. The decline pulled back only a piece of the prior week's upwardly revised 72,000 surge. The latest remained near the highest level since October of 2005. The [...]