Economy in Brief: 2021

• Single-family starts decline while multi-family starts improve. • Building permits edge higher. Housing starts declined 9.5% (+67.3% y/y) during April 1.569 million units (SAAR) from 1.733 million in March, revised from 1.739 [...]

• Building activity is currently slower than last autumn. • Activity is mixed regionally. The Composite Housing Market Index from the National Association of Home Builders-Wells Fargo was unchanged this month at 83, after rising [...]

Italy is one the early member of the Euro Area, of the EU, and of its precursor organizations. It was long one of the typical high inflation Mediterranean countries. But in the wake if the global financial crisis, Italy underwent [...]

• Activity index eases m/m but remains near recent highs. • New orders strengthen while employment grows modestly. • Prices paid continue to surge. The Empire State Manufacturing Index of General Business Conditions fell two points to [...]

After plunging in February, Canada's orders recouped and gained back most of those losses in one month rising by 5.2% in March. Despite what is clearly still a great deal of volatility, Canadian orders are accelerating their rate of [...]

• Size of inventory gain is reduced from earlier two months. • Business sales surge. • Inventory-to-sales ratio declines sharply. Total business inventories rose 0.3% (-0.0% y/y) during March following a 0.6% February rise, revised [...]

• Import and export price increases very close to expected amounts. • Food and fuel prices push import costs. • Industrial supplies & materials lift export prices; other items much less vigorous. Import and export price increases were [...]

• Stability follows near record March strength. • Weakness was broad-based. • March reading was upwardly revised. The consumer took a breather after store re-openings and government-issued $1,400 checks stimulated spending during [...]