Economy in Brief

Stock markets at home and abroad were generally ebullient in the last half of 2006 and most continued to rise so far in 2007.In the United States and the United Kingdom the Dow Jones Average and the FTSE 500 surpassed record prices [...]

For the first month since August, the National Activity Index (CFNAI) from the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago turned modestly positive in December. The reading of 0.04 was the first in positive territory since a similar reading in [...]

For the first month since August, the National Activity Index (CFNAI) from the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago turned modestly positive in December. The reading of 0.04 was the first in positive territory since a similar reading in [...]

The University of Michigan's preliminary reading of consumer sentiment this month jumped from December's 91.7 to 98.0 (Q1 1966 = 100). This contrasted sharply with forecast expectations for only a modest rise to 92.0-92.5. Both [...]

The University of Michigan's preliminary reading of consumer sentiment this month jumped from December's 91.7 to 98.0 (Q1 1966 = 100). This contrasted sharply with forecast expectations for only a modest rise to 92.0-92.5. Both [...]

December housing starts appeared to gain some forward momentum, with a 4.5% advance. The resulting 1.642M was considerably better than Consensus expectations for renewed decline to 1.563M starts. For all of 2006 starts of 1.819M was [...]

The December consumer price index (CPI-U) rose 0.5% after November's flat reading. In fact, this was the first increase since August. The monthly change was in line with consensus expectations at a 0.5% rise. The 12-month inflation [...]

Initial unemployment insurance claims continued to fall last week, decreasing 8,000 to 290,000, now the lowest level since last February. Consensus expectations had been for 310,000, which would have meant some reversal of the [...]