Economy in Brief

The Index of General Business Conditions in the manufacturing sector in August from the Philadelphia Fed added to the prior month's gain and rose to 17.5, the highest level since April. Consensus expectations had been for a lesser [...]

UK labor markets have moved little in the last few months. We last wrote about the Labor Force Survey in April, covering the February information. The unemployment rate then was 4.7% and it has remained at that level or at 4.8% [...]

Total mortgage applications rose last week for the first time following three consecutive weeks of decline according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. The 2.2% w/w increase nevertheless left applications in August 4.7% below July [...]

In July a 1.0% rise in the producer price index for finished goods was double Consensus expectations for a 0.5% increase, though it followed no change in prices one month earlier. Also double Consensus expectations was the 0.4% gain [...]

In July a 1.0% rise in the producer price index for finished goods was double Consensus expectations for a 0.5% increase, though it followed no change in prices one month earlier. Also double Consensus expectations was the 0.4% gain [...]

Spain reported balance of payment data for May today. Spain's presentation of balance of payments data differs from that of most other countries. Included in the financial account is the category, "Bank of Spain." This item includes [...]

Chain store sales dipped for the second week according to the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC)-UBS survey. A 0.2% w/w decline followed a 0.8% fall during the opening week of August. Sales so far this month are 0.2% [...]

Industrial production increased 0.1% last month following a downwardly revised 0.8% gain in June. Consensus expectations had been for a 0.5% rise. Factory sector output also slowed to half the prior month's gain and rose 0.2% (3.1% [...]