Economy in Brief

Optimists among German institutional investors and analysts were hard to find in November. The ZEW index that shows the balance of those expecting improved conditions during the next six months over those expecting worse conditions [...]

Last week, chain store sales jumped by 1.3% as consumer spending emerged from a three week skid which had pulled the October average 0.1% below September, according to the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC)-UBS. The [...]

The October Small Business Optimism Index published by the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) fell 0.6%, reversed some of the prior month's 1.6% rise and continued the sideways trend of 2004. During the last ten years [...]

The October Small Business Optimism Index published by the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) fell 0.6%, reversed some of the prior month's 1.6% rise and continued the sideways trend of 2004. During the last ten years [...]

Japan and Taiwan have reported October data on reserves of foreign currencies. Although they were about 35% and 20%, respectively, above the year ago figure, the increases in foreign exchange reserves over year ago figures have been [...]

The 0.1% decline in the September Index of Leading Indicators for the Major Seven OECD Countries left the series at the same level it reached in February and the monthly gyration around that level has been minimal. The six-month [...]

The 0.1% decline in the September Index of Leading Indicators for the Major Seven OECD Countries left the series at the same level it reached in February and the monthly gyration around that level has been minimal. The six-month [...]

Employment in Canada, measured by the Statistics Canada labor force survey, showed a second consecutive monthly advance in October, up 34,300 after September's 43,200 increase. The number of workers had been basically flat across the [...]