Economy in Brief: 2011

A one-month decline and a trend slowdown characterize the recent behavior of personal income. It fell 0.1% during August following a revised 0.1% July uptick, initially reported as 0.3%. A 0.1% gain was expected. Disposable income [...]

Real GDP growth was revised back up to 1.3% (SAAR) from the 1.0% reported a month ago. The change was powered by a higher estimate of growth in domestic final sales. Consensus estimates had called for GDP growth of 1.2%. The upward [...]

The decline in the Euro-Area is quite plain and clear for all to see. The graph above plots index levels and shows how even those (like Germany) with a strong recover yare falling fast. Spain, the weak economy on the chart also shows [...]

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) reported that pending sales of existing single-family homes fell 1.2% last month and repeated the July drop that was unrevised. Sales remained slightly higher than the Q2 average but remained [...]

The job market may be on the mend.Initial claims for jobless insurance dropped a sharp 37,000 to 391,000,000 last week from 428,000 (revised from 423,000). The latest figure was the lowest since the first week of April and was far [...]

German export and import prices are each falling in August. Excluding petroleum, both export and import prices fell. But over three months export prices are rising and import prices are falling both with and without petroleum prices. [...]

In a another sign of a consumer that is hesitant to consume, chain store sales continue lethargic. Last week, they slipped 0.2% (+2.7% y/y) and added to the prior period's 1.2% drop. So far in September sales are down 1.2% from August [...]

Low interest rates continue to generate strength in the mortgage loan market. The total index of mortgage applications jumped 9.3% last week to 767.9 (March 16, 1990 = 100). That followed a 10.0% rise during the prior week which was [...]