Economy in Brief: 2020

• Index suggests slower economic growth. • Component performance is mixed. Forward economic momentum diminished last month. The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago's National Activity Index declined during September to 0.27 from 1.11 in [...]

In October manufacturing generally gained a little ground while the services sectors generally eroded for the sample economic units in the table. The U.S. services sector was a major exception, however, as it move strongly higher. As [...]

• Increases are scattered. • Crude oil costs continue to rise. The Industrial Materials Price Index from the Foundation for International Business and Economic Research (FIBER) improved 0.2% during the last four weeks. The limited [...]

• Expectations resume upward trend. • Pricing power deteriorated. The Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City reported that its manufacturing sector business activity index rose to 13 in October after falling to 11 in September from 14 in [...]

• State initial claims fall 55,000 seasonally adjusted in October 17 week, almost reversing prior week's increase. • Federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance initial claims rise 8,212, first increase in 6 weeks. • Regular state and [...]

The French INSEE survey shows a reduction in the industry climate gauge in October as that gauge drops to 93.4 from 94.5 in September marking the first decline after five straight months of expansion. This basic table, which I use [...]

• Existing home sales rise to highest level since May 2006. • Supply of unsold homes reaches record low, lifting prices. • Sales strengthened across the country. The National Association of Realtors (NAR) reported that sales of [...]

• Leading index rises 0.7% in September. • Coincident indicators up just 0.2%, suggesting slowing growth. • Coincident measure jumped at a 25.0% annual rate in Q3; base effects play an important role as June-to-September growth is at [...]