Economy in Brief

In August, the U.S. foreign trade deficit deepened to $54.0B, the second highest level on record. Prior months' figures were little revised. Consensus expectations had been for a somewhat shallower deficit of $51.0B. Total exports [...]

In August, the U.S. foreign trade deficit deepened to $54.0B, the second highest level on record. Prior months' figures were little revised. Consensus expectations had been for a somewhat shallower deficit of $51.0B. Total exports [...]

Japan's current account surplus for August, reported today by the Bank of Japan, increased ¥347 million from July in seasonally adjusted terms. This brought it to ¥1.734 billion, the third largest monthly surplus in the almost 20-year [...]

Mortgage applications plunged last week according to the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA). After two weeks at a relatively high level, the MBA index dropped 9.2% to the lowest level since August and so far in October is 0.7% below [...]

Mortgage applications plunged last week according to the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA). After two weeks at a relatively high level, the MBA index dropped 9.2% to the lowest level since August and so far in October is 0.7% below [...]

The ZEW index of sentiment among institutional investors and analysts declined 7.1 points from September to 31.3 in October and was 29 points below October of a year ago. It was also below its long term average of 34. There has been a [...]

Chain store sales recovered another 0.5% last week following the prior week's 0.3% gain, according to the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC)-UBS. The two gains pulled sales so far in October almost even with the [...]

The September Small Business Optimism Index published by the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) rose 1.6% and recouped some of the prior month's 2.8% decline. The index remained 2.2% below last December's peak level. [...]