Economy in Brief

The Institute for Supply Management (ISM) reported that the February Business Activity Index for the non-manufacturing sector recovered most of the prior month's loss with a 3.3 point advance to 60.1. A reading above 50 indicates [...]

According to the University of Michigan, consumer sentiment fell throughout February, as indicated by a decline in the final month reading to 86.7 from the preliminary estimate of 87.4. Month to month, sentiment fell 4.9% and the [...]

According to the University of Michigan, consumer sentiment fell throughout February, as indicated by a decline in the final month reading to 86.7 from the preliminary estimate of 87.4. Month to month, sentiment fell 4.9% and the [...]

Four widely diverse areas reported retail trade today for January. Generally, these reports indicated some strength. In Hong Kong, for example, sales were up 11.6% over a year ago, extending a firmer performance into a second month. [...]

Initial unemployment insurance claims last week reversed most of the prior week's revised decline and rose 15,000 to 294,000. Consensus expectations had been for 285,000 claims. During the last ten years there has been a (negative) [...]

Challenger, Grey & Christmas reported that job cut announcements during February fell 15.5% (-19.3% y/y) to 87,437, the lowest level since October. Layoffs in the auto industry fell sharply from the heated January pace but still were [...]

Warm temperatures in January did little for the value of construction put in place which increased just 0.2%. Consensus expectations had been for a 1.1% gain but the firm 1.0% advance in December was unrevised. Residential building [...]

US light vehicle sales in February retraced all of the January gain and fell 5.8% to 16.61M units, the lowest level since November according to the Autodata Corporation. The decline about matched Consensus expectations for a 16.5M [...]