Economy in Brief

Last week, initial claims for unemployment insurance reversed all of the upwardly revised increase the prior period. The 11,000 person decline to 302,000 compared with Consensus expectations for 305,000 claims. The latest figure [...]

The National Association of Realtors reported that total existing home sales rose 5.2% m/m to 6.910M last month following a 2.7% January decline that was about half the drop initially estimated. Consensus expectations had been for [...]

New orders for manufactured goods in Euro-Zone countries fell 5.9% in January, according to a report published today by Eurostat. This drop followed sizable increases of 4.9% and 5.3% in November and December, respectively, however, [...]

Last week's jump in the U.S. average price for gasoline to $2.50 per gallon lifted prices 13.6% above the yearend 2005 level. This strength certainly reflects some pass through of this year's rise in crude oil prices. Crude costs are [...]

The total number of mortgage applications slumped 1.6% last week and continued the downtrend which began the middle of last year. Since the weekly peak last June, applications are down 36.3%. In March, applications are 2.4% below the [...]

The total number of mortgage applications slumped 1.6% last week and continued the downtrend which began the middle of last year. Since the weekly peak last June, applications are down 36.3%. In March, applications are 2.4% below the [...]

Indicators released today are pointing to an increase in the rate of growth of Finland's GDP in the first quarter from the 0.91% rate of the fourth quarter of 2005. The trend of the monthly total production series, which is a good [...]

Chain store sales slipped 0.1% lower last week after the prior period's 0.1% up tick, according to the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC)-UBS survey. The average level of sales so far in March is 1.4% ahead of the [...]