Economy in Brief: 2013

The MNI Chicago Report business barometer improved this month to 55.7, its highest level since May. Expectations were for 54.0. Haver Analytics constructs a seasonally adjusted figure comparable to the MNI Barometer and it rose to [...]

Consumer sentiment from the Reuters/University of Michigan survey fell sharply this month to 77.5 (-1.0% y/y) from 82.1 during August. Consensus expectations had been for stability at 82.0. The mid-month sentiment reading was 76.8. [...]

The consumer earned more money last month, and spent it. Personal income in August matched expectations and increased 0.4% (3.7% y/y) following a 0.2% July rise, revised from 0.1%. An improved 0.4% increase (3.5% y/y) in wage & [...]

European Union's overall consumer sentiment index improved in September to 100.6 from 98.2. The reading was last stronger in March 2011 at a level of 102.6. Of the 18 European Union countries that report separate sentiment indices, [...]

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) reported that August pending sales of single-family homes declined 1.6% m/m, down for the third straight month. Despite the loss of forward momentum, sales were at the highest level since [...]

The third estimate of U.S. economic growth last quarter of 2.5% (AR, 1.6% y/y) was the same as last month's figure. The rise was near the expected 2.6% gain in the Action Economics Forecast Survey. Nevertheless, the figure represented [...]

Money growth rates in the UK, the US and Japan show clear evidence of either continuing or improving growth in the respective economies. In the US, nominal money growth has been steady, vacillating between six and eight and one-half [...]

Labor market improvement is continuing in full swing. Initial claims for unemployment insurance fell to 305,000 during the week ended September 21 from 310,000 in the prior week, revised from 309,000. Expectations had been for an [...]