Carol Stone, CBE

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<img align="left" border="0" height="265" src="https://haver-commentaries.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/comments/070111e.jpg" width="353">
Employment in Australia grew 45,000 in the month of December, about the same as in November and far above the consensus expectation of 15,000 given in one news service forecast survey. This put the year-to-year growth rate at 3.0%.
The number of Australians unemployed rose 2,200 following a 3,800 increase in November. But these small increases still left the total unemployed right at 500,000, among the lowest since the early months of 1990. The resulting unemployment rate remained at 4.6% for a third consecutive month, the lowest in the almost-29-year history of these labor force data.
This labor market performance is impressive as it accompanied a rise in the participation rate from 64.78% to 64.95%, near the all-time high of 65.02% reached in September. [The Bureau of Statistics publishes the participation rate rounded to one decimal place. We calculated the rate from labor force and population series so we could see more precise changes.]<img align="right" border="0" height="265" src="https://haver-commentaries.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/comments/070111f.jpg" width="353">
Further, in Q4, separate data reported Wednesday show job vacancies at an all-time high of nearly 164,000, up more than 21% from the year-ago period. as seen in our second graph, much of the strength is in Western Australia -- Perth -- perhaps owing to growing trade in Indian Ocean territories. Queensland also shows gains. The two greatest population centers, New South Wales (Sydney) and Victoria (Melbourne) are seeing a steady number of reported job vacancies.
So the Australian labor market is doing well and, with rising vacancies, perhaps can sustain that track.
These data are contained in Haver&#39;s &quot;ANZ&quot; database and in &quot;G10&quot;.

<table border="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%">
<colgroup><col><col><col><col><col><col><col></colgroup>
<thead>
<tr>
<th scope="col" class="firstcol">AUSTRALIA (Months Seas Adj)</th>
<th scope="col">Dec 2006</th>
<th scope="col">Nov 2006</th>
<th scope="col">Oct 2006</th>
<th scope="col">Dec 2005</th>
<th scope="col">2006</th>
<th scope="col">2005</th>
<th scope="col">2004</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr class="odd">
<td class="firstcol">Unemployment Rate (%)</td>
<td>4.6</td>
<td>4.6</td>
<td>4.6</td>
<td>5.2</td>
<td>4.9</td>
<td>5.1</td>
<td>5.5</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="firstcol">Employment (000s)</td>
<td>10337</td>
<td>10293</td>
<td>10250</td>
<td>10035</td>
<td>10190</td>
<td>9987</td>
<td>9677</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td class="firstcol">Change(000s)/Yr- to-Yr % Change</td>
<td>+45</td>
<td>+43</td>
<td>-32</td>
<td>3.0</td>
<td>2.0</td>
<td>3.2</td>
<td>2.1</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="firstcol">Participation Rate (%)</td>
<td>64.95</td>
<td>64.78</td>
<td>64.61</td>
<td>64.39</td>
<td>64.70</td>
<td>64.44</td>
<td>63.57</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td class="firstcol">Job Vacancies (000s)</td>
<td colspan="3">164 (Q4)</td>
<td>135 (Q4)</td>
<td>154</td>
<td>140</td>
<td>124</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</body>
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Employment in Australia grew 45,000 in the month of December, about the same as in November and far above the consensus expectation of 15,000 given in one news service forecast survey. This put the year-to-year growth rate at 3.0%. [...]

Big Gain in Australia Employment; Unemployment Remains at All-Time Low

Tom Moeller

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<img align="left" border="0" height="265" src="https://haver-commentaries.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/comments/070111c.jpg" width="353">
The 4Q &#39;06 Composite Business Index published by the Manufacturers&#39; Alliance/MAPI fell for the third straight quarter, to 54 from 64 in 3Q &#39;06. The figure was the lowest since early 2002.
During the last ten years there has been a 69% correlation between the Composite Index Level and quarterly growth in US factory sector output.
The current orders index dropped sharply to 66, the lowest since 2002 but the 4Q export orders index rose and recouped declines in the prior two quarters. During the last ten years there has been a 59% correlation between the export orders index and quarterly growth in real US exports.<img align="right" border="0" height="265" src="https://haver-commentaries.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/comments/070111d.jpg" width="353">
The profit margins index fell sharply to 62 versus an average 65 last year, its lowest level since 2Q &#39;05.Capital spending intentions for the coming year, however, improved. During the last ten years there has been a 75% correlation between the capital spending index a q/q growth in business investment.
The survey of 60 senior financial executives representing a broad range of manufacturing industries reflects the views on current &amp; future business conditions. The business outlook index is a weighted sum of shipments, backlogs, inventories, and profit margin indexes.
For the latest US Business Outlook from the MAPI click <a href="http://www.mapi.net/html/prelease.cfm?release_id=2517">here</a>.
U.S. Economic Outlook - Remarks by Michael H. Moskow, President and Chief Executive Officer, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago are available <a href="http://www.chicagofed.org/news_room/speeches/2007_01_10_corridor.cfm"> here</a>.

<table border="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%">
<colgroup><col><col><col><col><col><col></colgroup>
<thead>
<tr>
<th scope="col" class="firstcol"><a href="http://www.haverselect.com/dlx/surveys/@SE/@SE.HTM">Manufacturers&#39; Alliance/MAPI Survey</a></th>
<th scope="col">4Q &#39;06</th>
<th scope="col">3Q &#39;06</th>
<th scope="col">4Q &#39;05</th>
<th scope="col">2006</th>
<th scope="col">2005</th>
<th scope="col">2004</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td class="firstcol">Composite Business Index</td>
<td>54</td>
<td>64</td>
<td>74</td>
<td>66</td>
<td>70</td>
<td>76</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</body>
</html>

The 4Q '06 Composite Business Index published by the Manufacturers' Alliance/MAPI fell for the third straight quarter, to 54 from 64 in 3Q '06. The figure was the lowest since early 2002. During the last ten years there has been a 69% [...]

MAPI Business Outlook Survey Fell Again

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<img align="left" border="0" height="265" src="https://haver-commentaries.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/comments/070111a.jpg" width="353">
Initial unemployment insurance claims last week reversed all of the increases over the prior three weeks and fell 26,000 to 299,000, the lowest level since July. Consensus expectations had been for a roughly unchanged figure at 325,000.
During the last ten years there has been a (negative) 77% correlation between the level of initial claims and the m/m change in nonfarm payroll employment.
The four-week moving average of initial claims also fell to 314,750 (3.3% y/y). <img align="right" border="0" height="265" src="https://haver-commentaries.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/comments/070111b.jpg" width="353">
Continuing claims for unemployment insurance also fell 3,000 and the prior week&#39;s sharp decline was deepened to 91,000.
The insured rate of unemployment remained at 1.9% for the seventh consecutive week and equaled the average rate since February.
Will Moderating Growth Reduce Inflation? from the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco can be found <a href="http://www.frbsf.org/publications/economics/letter/2006/el2006-37.pdf"> here</a>.

<table border="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%">
<colgroup><col><col><col><col><col><col></colgroup>
<thead>
<tr>
<th scope="col" class="firstcol"><a href="http://www.haverselect.com/dlx/WEEKLY/@W5/@W507/@W507.HTM">Unemployment Insurance (000s)</a></th>
<th scope="col">01/06/07</th>
<th scope="col">12/30/06</th>
<th scope="col">Y/Y</th>
<th scope="col">2006</th>
<th scope="col">2005</th>
<th scope="col">2004</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td class="firstcol">Initial Claims</td>
<td>299</td>
<td>325</td>
<td>0.3%</td>
<td>313</td>
<td>332</td>
<td>343</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="firstcol">&nbsp;Continuing Claims</td>
<td>--</td>
<td>2,428</td>
<td>-8.0%</td>
<td>2,459</td>
<td>2,662</td>
<td>2,924</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</body>
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Initial unemployment insurance claims last week reversed all of the increases over the prior three weeks and fell 26,000 to 299,000, the lowest level since July. Consensus expectations had been for a roughly unchanged figure at [...]

Initial Unemployment Insurance Claims Lowest Since July

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<img align="left" border="0" height="265" src="https://haver-commentaries.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/comments/070111c.jpg" width="353">
The 4Q &#39;06 Composite Business Index published by the Manufacturers&#39; Alliance/MAPI fell for the third straight quarter, to 54 from 64 in 3Q &#39;06. The figure was the lowest since early 2002.
During the last ten years there has been a 69% correlation between the Composite Index Level and quarterly growth in US factory sector output.
The current orders index dropped sharply to 66, the lowest since 2002 but the 4Q export orders index rose and recouped declines in the prior two quarters. During the last ten years there has been a 59% correlation between the export orders index and quarterly growth in real US exports.<img align="right" border="0" height="265" src="https://haver-commentaries.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/comments/070111d.jpg" width="353">
The profit margins index fell sharply to 62 versus an average 65 last year, its lowest level since 2Q &#39;05.Capital spending intentions for the coming year, however, improved. During the last ten years there has been a 75% correlation between the capital spending index a q/q growth in business investment.
The survey of 60 senior financial executives representing a broad range of manufacturing industries reflects the views on current &amp; future business conditions. The business outlook index is a weighted sum of shipments, backlogs, inventories, and profit margin indexes.
For the latest US Business Outlook from the MAPI click <a href="http://www.mapi.net/html/prelease.cfm?release_id=2517">here</a>.
U.S. Economic Outlook - Remarks by Michael H. Moskow, President and Chief Executive Officer, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago are available <a href="http://www.chicagofed.org/news_room/speeches/2007_01_10_corridor.cfm"> here</a>.

<table border="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%">
<colgroup><col><col><col><col><col><col></colgroup>
<thead>
<tr>
<th scope="col" class="firstcol"><a href="http://www.haverselect.com/dlx/surveys/@SE/@SE.HTM">Manufacturers&#39; Alliance/MAPI Survey</a></th>
<th scope="col">4Q &#39;06</th>
<th scope="col">3Q &#39;06</th>
<th scope="col">4Q &#39;05</th>
<th scope="col">2006</th>
<th scope="col">2005</th>
<th scope="col">2004</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td class="firstcol">Composite Business Index</td>
<td>54</td>
<td>64</td>
<td>74</td>
<td>66</td>
<td>70</td>
<td>76</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
Initial Unemployment Insurance Claims Lowest Since July 
by <a href="/comment/Moeller.html">Tom Moeller</a> January 11, 2007


<img align="left" border="0" height="265" src="https://haver-commentaries.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/comments/070111a.jpg" width="353">
Initial unemployment insurance claims last week reversed all of the increases over the prior three weeks and fell 26,000 to 299,000, the lowest level since July. Consensus expectations had been for a roughly unchanged figure at 325,000.
During the last ten years there has been a (negative) 77% correlation between the level of initial claims and the m/m change in nonfarm payroll employment.<img align="right" border="0" height="265" src="https://haver-commentaries.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/comments/070111b.jpg" width="353">
The four-week moving average of initial claims also fell to 314,750 (3.3% y/y).
Continuing claims for unemployment insurance also fell 3,000 and the prior week&#39;s sharp decline was deepened to 91,000.
The insured rate of unemployment remained at 1.9% for the seventh consecutive week and equaled the average rate since February.
Will Moderating Growth Reduce Inflation? from the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco can be found <a href="http://www.frbsf.org/publications/economics/letter/2006/el2006-37.pdf"> here</a>.

<table border="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%">
<colgroup><col><col><col><col><col><col></colgroup>
<thead>
<tr>
<th scope="col" class="firstcol"><a href="http://www.haverselect.com/dlx/WEEKLY/@W5/@W507/@W507.HTM">Unemployment Insurance (000s)</a></th>
<th scope="col">01/06/07</th>
<th scope="col">12/30/06</th>
<th scope="col">Y/Y</th>
<th scope="col">2006</th>
<th scope="col">2005</th>
<th scope="col">2004</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td class="firstcol">Initial Claims</td>
<td>299</td>
<td>325</td>
<td>0.3%</td>
<td>313</td>
<td>332</td>
<td>343</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="firstcol">&nbsp;Continuing Claims</td>
<td>--</td>
<td>2,428</td>
<td>-8.0%</td>
<td>2,459</td>
<td>2,662</td>
<td>2,924</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
Big Gain in Australia Employment; Unemployment Remains at All-Time Low 
by <a href="/comment/Stone.html">Carol Stone</a> January 11, 2007


<img align="left" border="0" height="265" src="https://haver-commentaries.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/comments/070111e.jpg" width="353">
Employment in Australia grew 45,000 in the month of December, about the same as in November and far above the consensus expectation of 15,000 given in one news service forecast survey. This put the year-to-year growth rate at 3.0%.
The number of Australians unemployed rose 2,200 following a 3,800 increase in November. But these small increases still left the total unemployed right at 500,000, among the lowest since the early months of 1990. The resulting unemployment rate remained at 4.6% for a third consecutive month, the lowest in the almost-29-year history of these labor force data.
This labor market performance is impressive as it accompanied a rise in the participation rate from 64.78% to 64.95%, near the all-time high of 65.02% reached in September. [The Bureau of Statistics publishes the participation rate rounded to one decimal place. We calculated the rate from labor force and population series so we could see more precise changes.]<img align="right" border="0" height="265" src="https://haver-commentaries.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/comments/070111f.jpg" width="353">
Further, in Q4, separate data reported Wednesday show job vacancies at an all-time high of nearly 164,000, up more than 21% from the year-ago period. as seen in our second graph, much of the strength is in Western Australia -- Perth -- perhaps owing to growing trade in Indian Ocean territories. Queensland also shows gains. The two greatest population centers, New South Wales (Sydney) and Victoria (Melbourne) are seeing a steady number of reported job vacancies.
So the Australian labor market is doing well and, with rising vacancies, perhaps can sustain that track.
These data are contained in Haver&#39;s &quot;ANZ&quot; database and in &quot;G10&quot;.

<table border="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%">
<colgroup><col><col><col><col><col><col><col></colgroup>
<thead>
<tr>
<th scope="col" class="firstcol">AUSTRALIA (Months Seas Adj)</th>
<th scope="col">Dec 2006</th>
<th scope="col">Nov 2006</th>
<th scope="col">Oct 2006</th>
<th scope="col">Dec 2005</th>
<th scope="col">2006</th>
<th scope="col">2005</th>
<th scope="col">2004</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr class="odd">
<td class="firstcol">Unemployment Rate (%)</td>
<td>4.6</td>
<td>4.6</td>
<td>4.6</td>
<td>5.2</td>
<td>4.9</td>
<td>5.1</td>
<td>5.5</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="firstcol">Employment (000s)</td>
<td>10337</td>
<td>10293</td>
<td>10250</td>
<td>10035</td>
<td>10190</td>
<td>9987</td>
<td>9677</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td class="firstcol">Change(000s)/Yr- to-Yr % Change</td>
<td>+45</td>
<td>+43</td>
<td>-32</td>
<td>3.0</td>
<td>2.0</td>
<td>3.2</td>
<td>2.1</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="firstcol">Participation Rate (%)</td>
<td>64.95</td>
<td>64.78</td>
<td>64.61</td>
<td>64.39</td>
<td>64.70</td>
<td>64.44</td>
<td>63.57</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td class="firstcol">Job Vacancies (000s)</td>
<td colspan="3">164 (Q4)</td>
<td>135 (Q4)</td>
<td>154</td>
<td>140</td>
<td>124</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</body>
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<img align="left" border="0" height="265" src="https://haver-commentaries.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/comments/070110e.jpg" width="353">
The US Census Bureau publishes a voluminous amount of foreign trade data. So along with the national summary reported on by Tom Moeller, we will highlight for you one specific set of associated data, exports by state.
These shipments are counted from their &quot;origin of movement&quot;, that is where the transportation begins, rather than where the merchandise leaves the country. Census publishes total figures monthly for each state, and it publishes quarterly information on product and destination country, an extraordinarily detail dataset. The total data are contained in Haver&#39;s REGIONAL database, a wide-ranging collection of various economic data for states. The breakdown of state export data by product is a set of databases each covering a Census division of states. In EXPRQ6, for example, you can find the shipping weight of non-electrical machinery sent by ship or air from Tennessee to Aruba.<img align="right" border="0" height="265" src="https://haver-commentaries.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/comments/070110f.jpg" width="353">
The state export totals appear in a supplemental table in the Census Bureau&#39;s main FT900 International Trade press release. In our table below, we show the US Total and a selection of states. We picked the three largest exporters, Texas, California and Washington, and also a few others from various regions: Missouri in the midwest, Georgia in the southeast and Massachusetts in New England. All these data are not seasonally adjusted and are reported in current dollars on the so-called &quot;Census&quot; basis.
Total US exports in November were up 15.7% from a year ago. A number of states are showing more rapid expansion than that, particularly Texas, which is the largest exporter in dollar terms. It shipped $13.35 billion of merchandise to customers abroad in November, 20.9% more than November 2005. We can also compare these exports for a full year to gross state product (Haver database GSP); in 2005 they made 13% of Texas state product. California runs second in dollar value of exports, with $10.8 billion in November shipments; this was up 5.5% from the year-ago period. California exports were 7.2% of its GSP in 2005. Interestingly, Washington State is third; we haven&#39;t looked, but we&#39;d guess that aircraft and computer software make a large portion of the goods, which amounted to $5.4 billion in November, up a whopping 47.6% from the year before; exports constitute 14.2% of Washington&#39;s gross product. [New York State&#39;s total exports are marginally larger, but include more reexports, so they would represent less value added.]<img align="left" border="0" height="265" src="https://haver-commentaries.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/comments/070110g.jpg" width="353">
Among the other states shown here, Missouri is seeing notable expansion of its export business. While November&#39;s shipments look small at just $1.3 billion, they are up 51% from a year ago and were more than double the 2003 amount.
We&#39;d also surmise -- without much investigation, to be sure -- that sizable overall export growth is related to the recently weak dollar. It&#39;s also important to note that outsourcing and other aspects of globalization do not work only to the detriment of the US economy. One reason for the publication of these data is a desire by officials in various states to show how their state can be competitive in world markets and thereby create jobs.

<table border="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%">
<colgroup><col><col><col><col><col><col></colgroup>
<thead>
<tr>
<th scope="col" class="firstcol">US Exports by State (NSA, Mil.$)</th>
<th scope="col">Nov 2006</th>
<th scope="col">Oct 2006</th>
<th scope="col">Sept 2006</th>
<th scope="col">2005</th>
<th scope="col">2004</th>
<th scope="col">2003</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr class="odd">
<td class="firstcol">Total US</td>
<td>91240</td>
<td>92476</td>
<td>88428</td>
<td>75365</td>
<td>68046</td>
<td>60312</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="firstcol">&nbsp; Yr/Yr % Chg</td>
<td>15.7</td>
<td>16.3</td>
<td>19.0</td>
<td>10.8</td>
<td>12.8</td>
<td>4.4</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td class="firstcol">Texas</td>
<td>13350</td>
<td>13959</td>
<td>12576</td>
<td>10730</td>
<td>9762</td>
<td>8237</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="firstcol">&nbsp; Yr/Yr % Chg</td>
<td>20.9</td>
<td>24.8</td>
<td>21.7</td>
<td>9.9</td>
<td>18.5</td>
<td>3.6</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td class="firstcol">California</td>
<td>10761</td>
<td>11216</td>
<td>10862</td>
<td>9735</td>
<td>9155</td>
<td>7833</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="firstcol">&nbsp; Yr/Yr % Chg</td>
<td>5.5</td>
<td>7.6</td>
<td>13.4</td>
<td>6.3</td>
<td>16.9</td>
<td>1.9</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td class="firstcol">Washington</td>
<td>5410</td>
<td>4651</td>
<td>4546</td>
<td>3162</td>
<td>2814</td>
<td>2848</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="firstcol">&nbsp; Yr/Yr % Chg</td>
<td>47.6</td>
<td>37.7</td>
<td>149.3</td>
<td>12.4</td>
<td>-1.2</td>
<td>-1.3</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td class="firstcol">Missouri</td>
<td>1303</td>
<td>1143</td>
<td>1135</td>
<td>872</td>
<td>748</td>
<td>603</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="firstcol">&nbsp; Yr/Yr % Chg</td>
<td>50.8</td>
<td>7.5</td>
<td>27.4</td>
<td>34.1</td>
<td>11.9</td>
<td>41.1</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td class="firstcol">Massachusetts</td>
<td>2034</td>
<td>2175</td>
<td>2042</td>
<td>1837</td>
<td>1818</td>
<td>1555</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="firstcol">&nbsp; Yr/Yr % Chg</td>
<td>7.9</td>
<td>15.3</td>
<td>7.3</td>
<td>1.1</td>
<td>16.9</td>
<td>11.7</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td class="firstcol">Georgia</td>
<td>1629</td>
<td>1801</td>
<td>1656</td>
<td>1715</td>
<td>1633</td>
<td>1357</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="firstcol">&nbsp; Yr/Yr % Chg</td>
<td>5.4</td>
<td>8.3</td>
<td>-3.2</td>
<td>5.0</td>
<td>20.3</td>
<td>13.0</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</body>
</html>

The US Census Bureau publishes a voluminous amount of foreign trade data. So along with the national summary reported on by Tom Moeller, we will highlight for you one specific set of associated data, exports by state. These shipments [...]

Export Growth Spread Around the Country: Texas Leads but Other States Participate

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<img align="left" border="0" height="265" src="https://haver-commentaries.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/comments/070110d.jpg" width="353">
The total number of mortgage applications surged 16.6% last week, the strongest weekly increase since June 2005 according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.
Purchase applications jumped 16.2% and raised the level of applications in early January 11.3% above the December average which rose 4.7% from November.
During the last ten years there has been a 58% correlation between the y/y change in purchase applications and the change in new plus existing single family home sales.
Applications to refinance also were strong and jumped 17.2%. Applications to refinance in early January were 1.2% above the December average which was unchanged from November.
The effective interest rate on a conventional 30-year mortgage fell w/w to 6.32% but remained up slightly from the December average of 6.28%. The peak for 30 year financing was 7.08% late in June. Rates for 15-year financing also fell sharply to 6.10%. Interest rates on 15 and 30 year mortgages are closely correlated (&gt;90%) with the rate on 10 year Treasury securities.<img align="right" border="0" height="265" src="https://haver-commentaries.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/comments/070110c.jpg" width="353">
During the last ten years there has been a (negative) 79% correlation between the level of applications for purchase and the effective interest rate on a 30-year mortgage.
The Mortgage Bankers Association surveys between 20 to 35 of the top lenders in the U.S. housing industry to derive its refinance, purchase and market indexes. The weekly survey covers roughly 50% of all U.S. residential mortgage applications processed each week by mortgage banks, commercial banks and thrifts. Visit the Mortgage Bankers Association site <a href="http://www.mbaa.org">here</a>.

<table border="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%">
<colgroup><col><col><col><col><col><col></colgroup>
<thead>
<tr>
<th scope="col" class="firstcol"><a href="http://www.haverselect.com/dlx/SURVEYW/@S5/@S5.HTM">MBA Mortgage Applications (3/16/90=100)</a></th>
<th scope="col">01/05/07</th>
<th scope="col">12/29/06</th>
<th scope="col">Y/Y</th>
<th scope="col">2006</th>
<th scope="col">2005</th>
<th scope="col">2004</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr class="odd">
<td class="firstcol">Total Market Index</td>
<td>671.1</td>
<td>575.6</td>
<td>11.8%</td>
<td>584.2</td>
<td>708.6</td>
<td>735.1</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="firstcol">&nbsp; Purchase</td>
<td>472.8</td>
<td>406.9</td>
<td>3.4%</td>
<td>406.9</td>
<td>470.9</td>
<td>454.5</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td class="firstcol">&nbsp; Refinancing</td>
<td>1,923.8</td>
<td>1,640.4</td>
<td>28.5%</td>
<td>1,634.0</td>
<td>2,092.3</td>
<td>2,366.8</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</body>
</html>

The total number of mortgage applications surged 16.6% last week, the strongest weekly increase since June 2005 according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. Purchase applications jumped 16.2% and raised the level of applications in [...]

Mortgage Applications Surged

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<img align="left" border="0" height="265" src="https://haver-commentaries.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/comments/070110b.jpg" width="353">
The U.S. foreign trade deficit narrowed unexpectedly in November to $58.2B from a little revised $58.8B during October. The deficit was the shallowest since July of last year and compared to Consensus expectations for a deficit of $60.0B.
The value of petroleum product imports fell 9.3% (-11.2% y/y) as the per barrel cost of crude oil petroleum imports fell 5.8% m/m to $52.25 and the quantity of crude oil imports fell 0.8% (-4.7% y/y).
Imports of nonpetroleum products rose 0.3% (7.8% y/y) after two months of decline. Capital goods imports rose 0.9% (10.7% y/y) and imports of nonauto consumer goods surged 2.3% (15.0% y/y), the strongest monthly gain since June. Imports of advanced technology products rose 0.4% (14.2% y/y).
Total exports rose a strong 0.9% goosed by a 1.9% (13.0% y/y) rise in capital goods exports. Exports of complete civilian aircraft jumped 15.7% (36.9% y/y) and aircraft parts &amp; engines exports also rose a strong 7.9% (19.2% y/y). Computer exports slipped 6.3% (+16.1% y/y) and exports of nonauto consumer goods rose 1.4% (13.5% y/y) after October&#39;s 3.7% jump.
Service exports jumped another 1.4% (9.8% y/y) as travel exports surged 2.6% (11.8% y/y) and passenger fares jumped 2.9% (6.5% y/y). Imports of services also rose a strong 0.9% (9.0% y/y) reflecting a 2.7% (12.5% y/y) rise in travel and a 3.9% jump in passenger fares (6.0% y/y).<img align="right" border="0" height="265" src="https://haver-commentaries.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/comments/070110a.jpg" width="353">
The U.S. trade deficit in goods with China narrowed slightly to $22.9B in November ($201.5B in 2005) as imports fell s sharp 5.2% (+23.9% y/y). The balance of goods trade with the newly industrialized Asian also narrowed to a deficit $0.4B (-$15.8B in 2005), the smallest since March of last year, as exports surged 6.5% (33.2% y/y) and imports fell 6.2% (+0.8% y/y).
The trade deficit with Europe deepened slightly m/m to $9.5B as US exports fell 1.1% (+14.6% y/y) and imports slipped 0.6% (+1.4%% y/y).
China&#39;s Strategic Petroleum Reserve: A Drop in the Bucket from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis can be found <a href="http://research.stlouisfed.org/publications/net/20070101/cover.pdf"> here</a>.

<table border="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%">
<colgroup><col><col><col><col><col><col></colgroup>
<thead>
<tr>
<th scope="col" class="firstcol"><a href="http://www.haverselect.com/dlx/USECON/@EE/@EE01/@EE01.HTM">Foreign Trade&nbsp;</a></th>
<th scope="col">November</th>
<th scope="col">October</th>
<th scope="col">Y/Y</th>
<th scope="col">2005</th>
<th scope="col">2004</th>
<th scope="col">2003</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr class="odd">
<td class="firstcol">U.S. Trade Deficit</td>
<td>$58.2B</td>
<td>$58.8B</td>
<td>$64.0B (11/05)</td>
<td>$716.7B</td>
<td>$611.3B</td>
<td>$494.9B</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="firstcol">Exports - Goods &amp; Services</td>
<td>0.9%</td>
<td>0.3%</td>
<td>13.4%</td>
<td>10.7%</td>
<td>13.4%</td>
<td>4.2%</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td class="firstcol">Imports - Goods &amp; Services</td>
<td>0.3%</td>
<td>-2.7%</td>
<td>5.2%</td>
<td>13.0%</td>
<td>16.7%</td>
<td>8.3%</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</body>
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The U.S. foreign trade deficit narrowed unexpectedly in November to $58.2B from a little revised $58.8B during October. The deficit was the shallowest since July of last year and compared to Consensus expectations for a deficit of [...]

U.S. Trade Deficit Narrowed Unexpectedly

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<img align="left" border="0" height="265" src="https://haver-commentaries.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/comments/070110b.jpg" width="353">
The U.S. foreign trade deficit narrowed unexpectedly in November to $58.2B from a little revised $58.8B during October. The deficit was the shallowest since July of last year and compared to Consensus expectations for a deficit of $60.0B.
The value of petroleum product imports fell 9.3% (-11.2% y/y) as the per barrel cost of crude oil petroleum imports fell 5.8% m/m to $52.25 and the quantity of crude oil imports fell 0.8% (-4.7% y/y).
Imports of nonpetroleum products rose 0.3% (7.8% y/y) after two months of decline. Capital goods imports rose 0.9% (10.7% y/y) and imports of nonauto consumer goods surged 2.3% (15.0% y/y), the strongest monthly gain since June. Imports of advanced technology products rose 0.4% (14.2% y/y).
Total exports rose a strong 0.9% goosed by a 1.9% (13.0% y/y) rise in capital goods exports. Exports of complete civilian aircraft jumped 15.7% (36.9% y/y) and aircraft parts &amp; engines exports also rose a strong 7.9% (19.2% y/y). Computer exports slipped 6.3% (+16.1% y/y) and exports of nonauto consumer goods rose 1.4% (13.5% y/y) after October&#39;s 3.7% jump.
Service exports jumped another 1.4% (9.8% y/y) as travel exports surged 2.6% (11.8% y/y) and passenger fares jumped 2.9% (6.5% y/y). Imports of services also rose a strong 0.9% (9.0% y/y) reflecting a 2.7% (12.5% y/y) rise in travel and a 3.9% jump in passenger fares (6.0% y/y).<img align="right" border="0" height="265" src="https://haver-commentaries.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/comments/070110a.jpg" width="353">
The U.S. trade deficit in goods with China narrowed slightly to $22.9B in November ($201.5B in 2005) as imports fell s sharp 5.2% (+23.9% y/y). The balance of goods trade with the newly industrialized Asian also narrowed to a deficit $0.4B (-$15.8B in 2005), the smallest since March of last year, as exports surged 6.5% (33.2% y/y) and imports fell 6.2% (+0.8% y/y).
The trade deficit with Europe deepened slightly m/m to $9.5B as US exports fell 1.1% (+14.6% y/y) and imports slipped 0.6% (+1.4%% y/y).
China&#39;s Strategic Petroleum Reserve: A Drop in the Bucket from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis can be found <a href="http://research.stlouisfed.org/publications/net/20070101/cover.pdf"> here</a>.

<table border="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%">
<colgroup><col><col><col><col><col><col></colgroup>
<thead>
<tr>
<th scope="col" class="firstcol"><a href="http://www.haverselect.com/dlx/USECON/@EE/@EE01/@EE01.HTM">Foreign Trade&nbsp;</a></th>
<th scope="col">November</th>
<th scope="col">October</th>
<th scope="col">Y/Y</th>
<th scope="col">2005</th>
<th scope="col">2004</th>
<th scope="col">2003</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr class="odd">
<td class="firstcol">U.S. Trade Deficit</td>
<td>$58.2B</td>
<td>$58.8B</td>
<td>$64.0B (11/05)</td>
<td>$716.7B</td>
<td>$611.3B</td>
<td>$494.9B</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="firstcol">Exports - Goods &amp; Services</td>
<td>0.9%</td>
<td>0.3%</td>
<td>13.4%</td>
<td>10.7%</td>
<td>13.4%</td>
<td>4.2%</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td class="firstcol">Imports - Goods &amp; Services</td>
<td>0.3%</td>
<td>-2.7%</td>
<td>5.2%</td>
<td>13.0%</td>
<td>16.7%</td>
<td>8.3%</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
Mortgage Applications Surged 
by <a href="/comment/Moeller.html">Tom Moeller</a> January 10, 2007


<img align="left" border="0" height="265" src="https://haver-commentaries.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/comments/070110d.jpg" width="353">
The total number of mortgage applications surged 16.6% last week, the strongest weekly increase since June 2005 according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.
Purchase applications jumped 16.2% and raised the level of applications in early January 11.3% above the December average which rose 4.7% from November.
During the last ten years there has been a 58% correlation between the y/y change in purchase applications and the change in new plus existing single family home sales.
Applications to refinance also were strong and jumped 17.2%. Applications to refinance in early January were 1.2% above the December average which was unchanged from November.<img align="right" border="0" height="265" src="https://haver-commentaries.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/comments/070110c.jpg" width="353">
The effective interest rate on a conventional 30-year mortgage fell w/w to 6.32% but remained up slightly from the December average of 6.28%. The peak for 30 year financing was 7.08% late in June. Rates for 15-year financing also fell sharply to 6.10%. Interest rates on 15 and 30 year mortgages are closely correlated (&gt;90%) with the rate on 10 year Treasury securities.
During the last ten years there has been a (negative) 79% correlation between the level of applications for purchase and the effective interest rate on a 30-year mortgage.
The Mortgage Bankers Association surveys between 20 to 35 of the top lenders in the U.S. housing industry to derive its refinance, purchase and market indexes. The weekly survey covers roughly 50% of all U.S. residential mortgage applications processed each week by mortgage banks, commercial banks and thrifts. Visit the Mortgage Bankers Association site <a href="http://www.mbaa.org">here</a>.

<table border="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%">
<colgroup><col><col><col><col><col><col></colgroup>
<thead>
<tr>
<th scope="col" class="firstcol"><a href="http://www.haverselect.com/dlx/SURVEYW/@S5/@S5.HTM">MBA Mortgage Applications (3/16/90=100)</a></th>
<th scope="col">01/05/07</th>
<th scope="col">12/29/06</th>
<th scope="col">Y/Y</th>
<th scope="col">2006</th>
<th scope="col">2005</th>
<th scope="col">2004</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr class="odd">
<td class="firstcol">Total Market Index</td>
<td>671.1</td>
<td>575.6</td>
<td>11.8%</td>
<td>584.2</td>
<td>708.6</td>
<td>735.1</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="firstcol">&nbsp; Purchase</td>
<td>472.8</td>
<td>406.9</td>
<td>3.4%</td>
<td>406.9</td>
<td>470.9</td>
<td>454.5</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td class="firstcol">&nbsp; Refinancing</td>
<td>1,923.8</td>
<td>1,640.4</td>
<td>28.5%</td>
<td>1,634.0</td>
<td>2,092.3</td>
<td>2,366.8</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
Export Growth Spread Around the Country: Texas Leads but Other States Participate 
by <a href="/comment/Stone.html">Carol Stone</a> January 10, 2007


<img align="left" border="0" height="265" src="https://haver-commentaries.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/comments/070110e.jpg" width="353">
The US Census Bureau publishes a voluminous amount of foreign trade data. So along with the national summary reported on by Tom Moeller, we will highlight for you one specific set of associated data, exports by state.
These shipments are counted from their &quot;origin of movement&quot;, that is where the transportation begins, rather than where the merchandise leaves the country. Census publishes total figures monthly for each state, and it publishes quarterly information on product and destination country, an extraordinarily detail dataset. The total data are contained in Haver&#39;s REGIONAL database, a wide-ranging collection of various economic data for states. The breakdown of state export data by product is a set of databases each covering a Census division of states. In EXPRQ6, for example, you can find the shipping weight of non-electrical machinery sent by ship or air from Tennessee to Aruba.<img align="right" border="0" height="265" src="https://haver-commentaries.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/comments/070110f.jpg" width="353">
The state export totals appear in a supplemental table in the Census Bureau&#39;s main FT900 International Trade press release. In our table below, we show the US Total and a selection of states. We picked the three largest exporters, Texas, California and Washington, and also a few others from various regions: Missouri in the midwest, Georgia in the southeast and Massachusetts in New England. All these data are not seasonally adjusted and are reported in current dollars on the so-called &quot;Census&quot; basis.
Total US exports in November were up 15.7% from a year ago. A number of states are showing more rapid expansion than that, particularly Texas, which is the largest exporter in dollar terms. It shipped $13.35 billion of merchandise to customers abroad in November, 20.9% more than November 2005. We can also compare these exports for a full year to gross state product (Haver database GSP); in 2005 they made 13% of Texas state product. California runs second in dollar value of exports, with $10.8 billion in November shipments; this was up 5.5% from the year-ago period. California exports were 7.2% of its GSP in 2005. Interestingly, Washington State is third; we haven&#39;t looked, but we&#39;d guess that aircraft and computer software make a large portion of the goods, which amounted to $5.4 billion in November, up a whopping 47.6% from the year before; exports constitute 14.2% of Washington&#39;s gross product. [New York State&#39;s total exports are marginally larger, but include more reexports, so they would represent less value added.]<img align="left" border="0" height="265" src="https://haver-commentaries.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/comments/070110g.jpg" width="353">
Among the other states shown here, Missouri is seeing notable expansion of its export business. While November&#39;s shipments look small at just $1.3 billion, they are up 51% from a year ago and were more than double the 2003 amount.
We&#39;d also surmise -- without much investigation, to be sure -- that sizable overall export growth is related to the recently weak dollar. It&#39;s also important to note that outsourcing and other aspects of globalization do not work only to the detriment of the US economy. One reason for the publication of these data is a desire by officials in various states to show how their state can be competitive in world markets and thereby create jobs.

<table border="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%">
<colgroup><col><col><col><col><col><col></colgroup>
<thead>
<tr>
<th scope="col" class="firstcol">US Exports by State (NSA, Mil.$)</th>
<th scope="col">Nov 2006</th>
<th scope="col">Oct 2006</th>
<th scope="col">Sept 2006</th>
<th scope="col">2005</th>
<th scope="col">2004</th>
<th scope="col">2003</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr class="odd">
<td class="firstcol">Total US</td>
<td>91240</td>
<td>92476</td>
<td>88428</td>
<td>75365</td>
<td>68046</td>
<td>60312</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="firstcol">&nbsp; Yr/Yr % Chg</td>
<td>15.7</td>
<td>16.3</td>
<td>19.0</td>
<td>10.8</td>
<td>12.8</td>
<td>4.4</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td class="firstcol">Texas</td>
<td>13350</td>
<td>13959</td>
<td>12576</td>
<td>10730</td>
<td>9762</td>
<td>8237</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="firstcol">&nbsp; Yr/Yr % Chg</td>
<td>20.9</td>
<td>24.8</td>
<td>21.7</td>
<td>9.9</td>
<td>18.5</td>
<td>3.6</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td class="firstcol">California</td>
<td>10761</td>
<td>11216</td>
<td>10862</td>
<td>9735</td>
<td>9155</td>
<td>7833</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="firstcol">&nbsp; Yr/Yr % Chg</td>
<td>5.5</td>
<td>7.6</td>
<td>13.4</td>
<td>6.3</td>
<td>16.9</td>
<td>1.9</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td class="firstcol">Washington</td>
<td>5410</td>
<td>4651</td>
<td>4546</td>
<td>3162</td>
<td>2814</td>
<td>2848</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="firstcol">&nbsp; Yr/Yr % Chg</td>
<td>47.6</td>
<td>37.7</td>
<td>149.3</td>
<td>12.4</td>
<td>-1.2</td>
<td>-1.3</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td class="firstcol">Missouri</td>
<td>1303</td>
<td>1143</td>
<td>1135</td>
<td>872</td>
<td>748</td>
<td>603</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="firstcol">&nbsp; Yr/Yr % Chg</td>
<td>50.8</td>
<td>7.5</td>
<td>27.4</td>
<td>34.1</td>
<td>11.9</td>
<td>41.1</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td class="firstcol">Massachusetts</td>
<td>2034</td>
<td>2175</td>
<td>2042</td>
<td>1837</td>
<td>1818</td>
<td>1555</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="firstcol">&nbsp; Yr/Yr % Chg</td>
<td>7.9</td>
<td>15.3</td>
<td>7.3</td>
<td>1.1</td>
<td>16.9</td>
<td>11.7</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td class="firstcol">Georgia</td>
<td>1629</td>
<td>1801</td>
<td>1656</td>
<td>1715</td>
<td>1633</td>
<td>1357</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="firstcol">&nbsp; Yr/Yr % Chg</td>
<td>5.4</td>
<td>8.3</td>
<td>-3.2</td>
<td>5.0</td>
<td>20.3</td>
<td>13.0</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</body>
</html>

Inflationary impact of surge in oil prices larger in Europe than in the US

Futures market thinks the price of oil will recede significantly over the next six months

Recent pickup in US defense orders could help support overall growth ahead

Cost of transporting crude oil has soared to series high

Market-based inflation expectations have not yet reflected recent surge in oil prices

Global equity markets are fearing a major economic disruption from soaring oil prices

Is recent drop in sentiment signaling softer growth ahead?

With the Iran conflict, geopolitical risk has soared to alarming levels

Soaring AI-related investment in US underpinning strong contribution of business spending to overall growth

AI-related outperformance of IP in Advanced Asia ex Japan

Resilient US economy pushing up Blue Chip 2026 outlook

US and China big leaders in adoption of AI models

Robust US demand for advanced technology products

China's export growth rotating away from the US

More pronounced upward revisions in countries more exposed to AI investment

Stable job openings and hiring rates point to cautious hiring

Global freight costs are on the rise while supply chain pressures are contained

Accelerating positive economic surprises in the G10 are boosting the global economy

Considerably more monetary ease expected from US and UK as Japan tightens

Tighter US immigration enforcement adversely impacting labor force

Economic policy uncertainty, while still elevated, is declining

Gradual disinflation and easier monetary policies across advanced economies

Largest October layoffs since 2003, led by technology

Subdued global shipping costs not yet pointing to supply chain problems

PMIs show still-elevated but slowing US inflation

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Tian Yong Woon

In this week’s Letter, we cover the latest developments and implications of the Middle East conflict for Asia, while also making space for other important themes, including artificial intelligence (AI). The Middle East conflict remains in a no deal state coming out of the weekend, though some early Monday optimism emerged in Asian markets following Iran’s reported offer to reopen the Strait of Hormuz (chart 1). Nonetheless, as the Strait closure drags on, so too do the fiscal costs of domestic fossil fuel subsidies across Asia, which have been shown to move closely with crude oil prices (chart 2). While such measures offer direct relief by cushioning household energy costs, they remain difficult to sustain over the long haul.

Over the week, we also saw a further fraying in regional monetary policy trends, with the Philippines hiking its policy rate for the first time in about two years amid inflation concerns, while Indonesia stood pat on rates (chart 3). Investor attention is likely to remain fixed on monetary policy this week, with the Bank of Japan due to decide on policy. Expectations for an April hike have faded amid the persistent Middle East conflict, though yen weakness continues to present a source of concern (chart 4). The week also brings China’s latest PMI readings (chart 5), adding to the recent run of hard data accompanying the Q1 GDP release.

Beyond the Middle East conflict, the evolution of AI continues to demand close attention. Before geopolitical tensions took centre stage, AI was the dominant market narrative — and that enthusiasm has hardly faded. If anything, recent developments suggest the story is broadening: use cases are expanding, scalability is improving, and access is widening beyond large corporates to the mass market — increasingly spilling into the realm of physical AI. It may well be this persistent wave of optimism that is helping to underpin equity valuations, even as the geopolitical backdrop darkens (chart 6).

**The Middle East conflict**
About two months in, we remain stuck in the limbo of the US-Iran conflict, which has left the Strait of Hormuz largely closed and much of the world starved of the critical oil flows needed to power the global economy. The back and forth between the US and Iran has persisted in recent weeks, with both sides again failing to reach a peace deal over the weekend, though Monday’s news of Iran offering to reopen the Strait has revived some hope in markets. In truth, commodity and market valuations do not hinge so much on a peace deal itself, but rather on the resumption of oil flows through the Strait, something that could materialise even in the absence of a formal deal, though any agreement that includes and credibly delivers such a reopening would likely be warmly received by markets. Until then, market gyrations are likely to persist, with prices fluctuating in response to each new snippet of news. And until then, the world will continue both to be starved of, while gradually adapting to, the drip feed of oil flows emerging from the Strait.

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**The fiscal costs of the Middle East conflict**
As the Middle East conflict drags on, so too does the strain on fiscal resources across parts of Asia, as the costs of energy-related subsidy programmes continue to mount. While such programmes have an immediate, direct, and tangible impact in shielding households from surging energy costs, they are far from sustainable, particularly if oil prices remain well above targeted levels or stay elevated for an extended period. As chart 2 illustrates, the costs of these explicit subsidy programmes tend to rise closely with crude oil prices, as seen in India and Indonesia. Other measures adopted elsewhere, such as drawing down oil reserves, may be less fiscally costly, but are similarly difficult to sustain indefinitely. In both respects, the clock is ticking, and the world continues to hold its breath as the conflict drags on.

260427T2.jpg

**The latest central bank responses to the conflict**
Over the past week, Asia saw two central bank decisions. The Philippines’ (BSP) opted to deliver its first rate hike in about two years, while Indonesia’s (BI) chose to stand pat on policy rates and instead committed to stepped up FX intervention (chart 3). This latest round of decisions points to a further fraying of what had been a broad regional monetary policy consensus, namely that central banks would delay additional easing while maintaining a high bar for outright tightening. Domestic considerations, however, remain paramount. In the Philippines’ case, the central bank has moved to rein in inflation, which is already showing notable signs of price pass through stemming from disruptions linked to the Strait of Hormuz. That said, BSP is not the first in the region to buck the reluctance to tighten. Singapore’s central bank had already tightened policy in mid-April, albeit through its own distinct framework, given its use of the exchange rate rather than policy rates as the primary channel for monetary policy.

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**The week ahead**
Looking to the week ahead, a major central bank decision looms in Japan. Market expectations for the Bank of Japan to deliver a rate hike at its April meeting have ebbed amid the persistence of the Middle East conflict, to which Japan remains particularly vulnerable given its reliance on oil imports flowing through the Strait of Hormuz. At the same time, inflation in Japan has yet to become a major concern, with recent readings having picked up but not yet entering troubling territory. One potential source of concern, however, lies with the Japanese yen, which has remained on a weakening trend since early last year (chart 4). That depreciation has been one of the key arguments underpinning calls for further rate hikes.

260427T4.jpg

The week also brings China’s latest PMIs into focus. March saw a divergence between China’s official PMI readings, which improved, and the unofficial readings from RatingDog, which instead pulled back. Nonetheless, both official and unofficial gauges remained in expansionary territory (chart 5), with investors now watching closely to see whether that resilience can be sustained amid ongoing stresses from the Middle East, or whether offsetting drivers can continue to keep Chinese business sentiment and prospects buoyant.

260427T5.jpg

**Beyond the strait**
Moving beyond the Middle East conflict, a whole host of developments continue to unfold globally, many of which have in fact helped offset some of the pessimism wrought by the Strait’s chokehold. One such development is artificial intelligence (AI), which had dominated headlines before the outbreak of the conflict and continues to advance at breakneck pace. AI capabilities are still rapidly evolving, while practical applications, such as physical AI embodied in humanoid robots, are beginning to show broader and stronger use cases. Production of such robots is also becoming increasingly scalable and within reach not just for industrial complexes and healthcare, but for the mass market as well. It is perhaps growing optimism around these prospects that has helped keep equity valuations buoyant, even in the face of the festering conflict in the Middle East. Moreover, while concerns over AI-driven job displacement persist, new opportunities are emerging as well, particularly for AI adopters, with a growing share of job postings in Western economies increasingly referencing AI-related skills, as shown in chart 6.

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Asia

Economic Letter from Asia: Not Just About the Strait

Robert Brusca

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**The Distributive Trades Survey**

The U.K. Distributive Trades Survey for April 2026 and the look-ahead expectation readings for May paint an extremely soured outlook for the U.K. economy.

**Retail ranking**: Surveys for retail sales compared to a year ago, orders compared to a year ago, and sales evaluated for the time of year all have rankings near zero, which is the worst result on this timeline. This zero distinction applies to retail sales compared to a year ago. The best ranking is 11.6%; that is for sales evaluated for the time of year. Orders compared to a year ago have a 4.2 percentile standing. The stock-to-sales ratio—which is a completely different concept—shows that the inventory-to-sales ratio has a 29.9 percentile standing.

**Retail diffusion**: The raw April diffusion readings (up minus down diffusion) show that sales compared to a year ago slipped to a reading of -68 in April from -52 in March. Orders fell to -46 in April from -26 in March. Sales evaluated for the time of year fell to -32 April from -23 in March. All three measures weakened, and all three weakened decisively, resulting in extremely weak rankings. All of the rankings are executed on data back to 2002.

**Expectations for retailing**: The expectations readings for May show slippage again across all three metrics: expected sales compared to a year ago, expected orders compared to a year ago, and expected sales for the time of year. Expected sales compared to a year ago fell to -60 in May from -49 in April. Orders compared to a year ago declined to -45 in May from -30 in April, and sales for the time of year slipped to -43 from -19. In May, these readings have rankings in a 0.4 percentile standing for sales compared to a year ago, a 1.8 percentile standing for sales evaluated relative to the time of year, and a 4.6 percentile standing for orders compared to a year ago. These two panels on current and expected retail sales volumes are just simply terrible: weak monthly, weak in ranking terms, and showing slipping momentum.

The distributor trade series also provides data on the wholesale sector. While the wholesale sector is not quite as beat up as the retail sector, it's still extremely weak. There is no cause for any kind of hope that things are getting better based on wholesaling trends.

**Wholesaling**: The wholesale survey for sales compared to a year ago edged lower to -32 in April from -31 in March. Orders compared to a year ago remained at a reading of -41 in April. Sales evaluated for the time of year improved to a reading of -20 in April from -39 in March—a significant step up, but still very weak. The percentile standings for these three categories show sales compared to a year ago at the 8.8 percentile, orders compared to a year ago at the 5.6 percentile, and sales evaluated for the time of year at the 14.8 percentile.

**Wholesale Expectations**: The look-ahead observations, which provide expectations for wholesaling in May, show a similar constellation of readings, with sales compared to a year ago falling to -37 in May from -27 in April and orders compared to a year ago falling to -42 from -38, while sales evaluated for the time of year improved to  16 from  37. That category for wholesale sales improved both in April in real time and in May for expectations; however, it continues to have a very weak percentile standing, at the 17.9 percentile in May, while sales for a year ago have a 6.7 percentile standing and orders for a year ago have a 6.0 percentile standing.

260427.jpg

While some of the global PMI data have improved, these survey data for the U.K. are particularly dour. The war in Ukraine drags on, and there's a new conflict in Iran that has shut the Strait of Hormuz, creating energy problems for much of Europe. More broadly, supply chains have been harmed. In addition, the U.K. is undergoing a bout of political instability, as its Prime Minister is under pressure and a good deal of political uncertainty is being worsened by deteriorating economic performance.

Both the U.K. and the European Monetary Union had been showing some progress on inflation until the Iran war hit. Now, as the oil prices are up so sharply, headline inflation is going to be worse everywhere and there will probably be a bit more attention directed to the core inflation rate. However, the U.K. has had inflation too hot for a while, and it has failed to settle down. At its last meeting, the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee warned that if the war was still ongoing at the next meeting, there would be a risk of a rate hike. So, it would seem that a rate hike is going to be in play unless the economy falls off a cliff first, which, based on the distributive trades data, is also something that could happen. The U.K. economy appears to be on very unsound footing, and what happens next is just about anybody's guess.

United Kingdom

U.K. Retail Sales: Worse Than During Covid

260424E.jpg

The onset of the war in Iran appears to have hit the German economy extremely hard as the Ifo survey shows very substantial and broad-based decline across its survey in April. The Ifo survey features readings for five sectors as well as an aggregate reading, and it surveys them for climate, current conditions, and expectations. The decline in the Ifo survey is present for all three concepts and across all five sectors, marking the weakening in April as a highly significant and extremely disturbing development. Only manufacturing in the current conditions survey escapes a month-to-month decline.

**The Ifo sequences**: The **climate** reading fell both overall and across each of the five sectors. **Current conditions** declined for the overall and for four of the five sectors, with manufacturing the sole exception. **Expectations** declined for the overall and for all sectors. Several of the sector declines were for a very substantial magnitude, especially when compared to historic changes in these indexes.

**Monthly changes in readings—severe broad deterioration**
The month-to-month change in the climate reading has weakened more month-to-month 19% of the time. That overall result, however, is boosted by manufacturing where the monthly change has been weaker 35% of the time (on data back to 2011). However, all other sectors have seen climate weaker m/m only 2.3% to 6.3% of the time! The current situation readings weakened, with the headline weakening more m/m 11% of the time. This was boosted by manufacturing, the only sector that improved on the month; its ranking on change was in its 85th percentile—quite good and truly stand-alone good news. The other current changes by sector ranged from construction being weaker 1.7% of the time, to retailing that has been weaker about 30% of the time in terms of m/m changes. Expectation changes were uniformly terrible, with the headline drop weaker only 6.3% of the time and sector change month-to-month weaker between 9% and 1.7% of the time. The monthly weakening was uniform and substantial. I document it with these calculations, but you can also see it on the chart above.

**Climate**: The bottom line is that the all-sector index for climate fell to -20.3 in April from -18 in March, placing it at a 10.5 percentile standing on data since 1993. The sector ranking is the highest for construction with a 42.2 percentile standing and the weakness for services at a 1.1 percentile standing—weaker than the table reading nearly 99% of the time. In terms of percentile standing levels or monthly changes, conditions are closing in on grim.

**Current conditions**: Current conditions saw the all-sector index slip to -5.3 in April from -2.4 in March. The headline ranking stands at a 9.8 percentile mark, making it—like the climate reading—weaker than its current reading only about 10% of the time. The strongest reading under current conditions is for construction which has a 60.6 percentile standing; it is the only ranking in the table above its historic median. Manufacturing, the only sector in the survey that improved month-to-month, has a 22.5 percentile standing, while services record the weakest percentile standing under current conditions, at an 8.4 percentile standing.

**Expectations:** The all-sector index for expectations fell to -25.3 in April from -19.9 in March, placing it at a 6.3 percentile standing. The percentile standings across sectors range from a high of 9.5% for manufacturing to a low of 1.5% for retailing. Up until earlier this year, the Ifo was showing signs of improvement; however, all of that has simply collapsed in the last month. Weakness is across economic concepts and sectors, as documented above. For reference, the table also gives a separate set of rankings on where the various indexes stand since the invasion of Ukraine, since that was another marked event that drove the index, that had been improving after Covid, down to lower levels.  Ranked even on this reduced scale looking at conditions only since the invasion of Ukraine, when conditions have generally been weaker, the current rankings across the Ifo survey remained extremely weak. This is a very disturbing survey for the German economy.

260424.jpg

Germany

German Ifo Plunges Everywhere

Andrew Cates

**Energy shock lifts inflation, trims growth**
The IMF’s latest WEO revisions for 2026 broadly reflect the classic stagflationary impact of the recent Middle East energy shock, with growth downgraded and inflation revised higher across most major economies. Higher energy prices act as a tax on real incomes while simultaneously pushing up costs. That said, the picture is not uniform: a number of economies—notably the US, China and India—have seen growth upgrades, reflecting stronger-than-expected momentum so far in 2026. By contrast, the UK stands out at the stagflationary extreme, combining one of the largest growth downgrades with a relatively strong inflation uplift—consistent with its weaker underlying momentum, greater energy sensitivity and more persistent domestic inflation dynamics. More broadly, while the global revisions remain modest—pointing to resilience in activity—the message is that disinflation is no longer a smooth glide back to target but increasingly contingent on energy prices and geopolitical developments.

260423Z1.jpg

**Markets largely shrug off rising economic pessimism**
Notwithstanding a more downbeat assessment from economists—including the IMF’s stagflationary tilt to the outlook—there has been remarkably little follow-through into financial markets. Measures of systemic stress in both the US and UK remain low by historical standards, suggesting that investors are, for now, largely looking through the Middle East conflict. There are several possible explanations: corporate profits remain resilient, the AI-driven investment narrative continues to dominate market thinking, and markets may be assuming that any energy shock will be temporary and contained. In effect, investors appear to be pricing a benign baseline in which geopolitical risks do not materially disrupt growth, inflation expectations or policy. The UK is a partial exception, with a somewhat more visible uptick in stress, which aligns more closely with the IMF’s more challenging growth-inflation trade-off and the economy’s greater sensitivity to energy prices.

260423Z2.jpg

**Volatility falls despite deteriorating growth surprises**
Market optimism is also increasingly at odds with the incoming data flow. Typically, equity volatility declines when growth surprises are positive and inflation surprises are benign. However, the recent pattern has broken that relationship. Growth surprises across the G10 have turned increasingly negative (our series is inverted in the chart below), yet volatility has continued to fall. In other words, markets are becoming less sensitive to weakening macro data, continuing to price a benign outlook even as the data deteriorate. This divergence reinforces the broader theme: investors are, for now, looking through both geopolitical risks and softer economic momentum, placing greater weight on resilience in earnings, the AI-driven narrative and the assumption that policy will remain supportive.

260423Z3.jpg

**Inflation Nowcasts Have Jumped**
Incoming data suggest that headline inflation has moved higher in recent weeks, broadly in line with expectations given the rise in energy prices following the Middle East shock. Nowcasts for CPI across the major economies show a clear rebound in March and April from the lows seen at the start of 2026, with the move occurring in a relatively synchronised fashion. This reinforces the view that the recent pickup in inflation is being driven primarily by a common external factor—energy.

260423Z4.jpg

**Energy shock not yet feeding into underlying inflation**
However, the detailed breakdown of March inflation outcomes suggests that this remains, for now, a largely headline-driven phenomenon. While headline CPI prints were firm across most economies, core inflation—stripping out energy and food—was more subdued and in some cases weaker. This indicates that there has been very limited pass-through from higher energy prices into broader goods and services inflation at this early stage. In other words, the shock is still being absorbed rather than propagated. That distinction is critical for policy and markets alike: as long as second-round effects remain contained, central banks may be able to look through the near-term rise in inflation, even as headline rates move higher.

260423Z5.jpg

**Inflation Expectations Rising as Growth Sentiment Falters**
It remains early days, and much will hinge on how inflation expectations evolve from here. The latest ZEW survey for Germany already conveys the hallmarks of a classic stagflationary shock, with macroeconomic expectations weakening even as inflation expectations have ratcheted sharply higher. This shift is important: while the recent rise in headline inflation has so far shown limited pass-through into core, a sustained increase in expectations would raise the risk of second-round effects and make the inflation process more persistent. In that sense, the ZEW data highlight the key fault line in the current environment—whether the energy-driven shock remains contained, or begins to embed itself more broadly through expectations and pricing behaviour.

260423Z6.jpg

Financial markets have remained notably calm in recent weeks despite rising geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, a more downbeat macroeconomic narrative and elevated uncertainty. Measures of financial stress and volatility remain low, and equity markets continue to look through both the conflict and softer data. That resilience sits alongside a more nuanced macro backdrop. The IMF’s latest WEO revisions point to a classic stagflationary energy shock—growth downgraded and inflation revised higher—although the global impact remains modest and uneven, with some economies still benefiting from stronger momentum (chart 1). At the same time, market pricing appears increasingly detached from the data flow, with volatility declining even as growth surprises have turned more negative relative to inflation (charts 2 and 3). Incoming inflation data reinforce the idea of a largely headline-driven shock, with nowcasts rising in line with higher energy prices but only limited pass-through into core inflation so far (charts 4 and 5). However, it remains early days. Survey evidence, such as the latest ZEW release, suggests that inflation expectations may already be responding in a more concerning way, with a marked rise alongside weakening growth sentiment (chart 6). Taken together, the key question for markets is whether this remains a contained, energy-driven shock that can be looked through—or whether it begins to embed more persistently via expectations, forcing a reassessment of the currently benign outlook.

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Charts of the Week: Risks Build, Markets Shrug

Sandy Batten

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260423G8.jpg

The National Activity Index published by the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago (CFNAI) slipped to -0.20 in March from an upwardly revised +0.03 in February (previously (-0.11). This is the lowest monthly reading since last November. Smoothing out the monthly volatility, the index's three-month moving average (CFNAI-MA3) declined to -0.03 in March from an upwardly revised +0.03 in February (previously -0.01).

This index is expressed in standard deviation units from zero (with a value of zero defined as trend real GDP growth). Research at the FRB Chicago indicates that readings on the 3-month average of -0.70 or below are consistent with the economy being in a recession. Therefore, even though the March reading on the 3-month average was negative, it indicates that the US economy is still growing, just slightly slower than trend, and is well away from recessionary conditions. The 3-month average would be much deeper in negative territory if the economy was at risk of contracting.

The National Activity Index is a composite of 85 economic indicators, grouped into four major categories: production and income; employment, unemployment, and hours worked; personal consumption and housing; sales, orders, and inventories. Three of the four broad categories of indicators used to construct the index decreased from February, and three categories made negative contributions in March. Production-related indicators contributed –0.20 to the CFNAI in March, down from +0.13 in February. The sales, orders, and inventories category's contribution to the CFNAI was –0.01 in March, down from +0.05 in February. Employment-related indicators contributed +0.02 to the CFNAI in March, up from –0.15 in February. The personal consumption and housing category's contribution to the CFNAI was –0.01 in March, down from a neutral value in February.

The CFNAI Diffusion Index, which measures the breadth of the change in the component series and is also a three-month moving average, increased to –0.04 in March from –0.08 in February. This is the highest reading since February 2025. A reading of zero indicates that all of the indicators are growing at their long-term average. If all of the underlying indicators in a given month are below their long-run averages, the diffusion index will equal -1. If all of the indicators are above their long-run averages, it will equal +1. Thirty-four of the 85 individual indicators made positive contributions to the CFNAI in March, while 51 made negative contributions. Forty-three indicators improved from February to March, while 40 indicators deteriorated and two were unchanged. Of the indicators that improved, 16 made negative contributions.

These figures are available in Haver's **SURVEYS** database.

- The monthly reading fell to -0.20 in March from an upwardly revised +0.03 in February.
- The three-month average slipped from +0.03 to -0.03.
- Despite the slip in March, the index points to near-trend economic growth and is well above recession territory.

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