Economy in Brief

Industrial production reports from Italy and Netherlands give encouraging views of activity in those countries in February, hinting at least at stabilization or potentially an upturn. Industrial activity in India, meanwhile, dipped [...]

The 5.5% decline last week in the total number of mortgage applications reversed most of the increases during the prior two periods. The decline left applications at the start of April about equal to the March average which fell 1.0% [...]

During February, the U.S. foreign trade deficit reversed most of the prior month's unrevised surge and fell to $65.7B. The decline exceeded Consensus expectations for a deficit of $67.5B. A 2.3% decline in imports during February was [...]

During February, the U.S. foreign trade deficit reversed most of the prior month's unrevised surge and fell to $65.7B. The decline exceeded Consensus expectations for a deficit of $67.5B. A 2.3% decline in imports during February was [...]

Commodity prices--agricultural, industrial, and precious metals--are exploding.Questions regarding the pros and cons of continued rises in many commodities are beginning to appear in the economic news columns. Haver has a wealth of [...]

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the February job openings rate, from the Job Openings & Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS), was unchanged from an upwardly revised 2.9% the prior month. The job openings rate is the number of [...]

Small business optimism fell 3.4% during March following three consecutive months of sideways movement, according to the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB). The index drooped last month to its lowest level in three [...]

Chain store sales surged last week, according to the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC)-UBS survey, as consumers upped spending by 1.8% following five consecutive weeks of softness. The jump raised sales in early April [...]