Economy in Brief: 2011

The index of total mortgage applications fell a sharp 14.9% fast week to 633.1 (March 16, 1990 = 100), the lowest level since early-last month. Nevertheless, applications have risen by more-than-one half since their early-year low. [...]

The overall CPI gained an expected 0.3% during September following a 0.4% August rise. The y/y increase of 3.9% was the strongest since September, 2008. Higher food & energy prices bloated the monthly increase; thus the rise in the [...]

The ZEW Sentiment indicator represented by the economic expectations among institutional investors and analysts declined 5.0 percentage points in October to -48.3, close to the levels last seen in the 2008 recession. This was the [...]

Housing activity firmed in October according to the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo report on housing market activity. The Composite Housing Market Index jumped four points to 18, its highest level since May of last [...]

Last week the pump price for a gallon of regular gasoline increased six cents to $3.48, the highest level since late-September. Nevertheless, prices remained down versus May when they averaged $3.91. Retail prices usually start to [...]

Pricing power is up at the wholesale level. The September producer price index for finished goods jumped 0.8% after an unrevised no-change during August. The figure compared to Consensus expectations for a 0.2% rise, according to the [...]

Japan's disasters have left an indelible mark on its economy and on the global economy as well. As an important manufacturer and exporter Japan is a source for parts as well as goods, especially in the auto industry. Parts and goods [...]

Singapore, the City State of some 5.2 million people, announced its advanced estimate of a 5.9% increase in third quarter year on year growth in real GDP, a significant rise from the 1% of the second quarter. The advanced estimates [...]