Economy in Brief

Yesterday we reported a fall in Japanese machine orders in July. Today's releases of a rise in corporate goods prices (formerly wholesale prices) and a slight deterioration in consumer confidence in August are two more indicators that [...]

Small business optimism in August reversed all of the prior month's uptick and fell 2.2%, according to the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB). At 95.9 the index was at its lowest level since March of 2003. During the [...]

The International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC)-UBS survey reported that chain store sales slipped 0.3% last week and reversed the prior period's gain. Despite the backpedal, the average level of sales in September is up 0.5% [...]

Higher oil prices helped boost the U.S. foreign trade deficit to a new record in July of $68.0B from an unrevised $64.8 B in June. Consensus expectations had been for a somewhat shallower deficit of $65.5B. Imports of goods & services [...]

Higher oil prices helped boost the U.S. foreign trade deficit to a new record in July of $68.0B from an unrevised $64.8 B in June. Consensus expectations had been for a somewhat shallower deficit of $65.5B. Imports of goods & services [...]

Instead of expectations of a modest decline in July, private machinery orders excluding ships and utilities (Headline Series) in Japan fell by 16.7% from June. This was the largest drop in this volatile series over the past five and [...]

The Leading Index of the major 7 OECD economies fell 0.3% in July for the second consecutive month and it was the third monthly decline in a row. The index's six month growth rate dropped to 0.8%, the lowest in a year. During the last [...]

The Leading Index of the major 7 OECD economies fell 0.3% in July for the second consecutive month and it was the third monthly decline in a row. The index's six month growth rate dropped to 0.8%, the lowest in a year. During the last [...]