Economy in Brief: 2015

ZEW financial experts cut their assessment of current conditions in the German economy and chopped their expectations as well. Expectations were cut by 10.2 points while the current situation index was slashed by 12.3 points. These [...]

The National Association for Business Economics forecast of 2.7% growth in U.S. real economic activity in 2016 was revised from 2.9% posted in June. Expected growth of 2.5% this year, however, was little-changed. Quarterly GDP growth [...]

French trade flows have turned sharply weaker in August as exports fell by 1.7% and imports dropped by 2.9%. The relatively sharper weakness in imports thrust the current account into surplus (0.2 billion euros). Sequential growth [...]

Inventories at the wholesale level increased 0.9% during June (5.4% y/y) following a 0.6% May gain, revised from 0.8%. The rise was paced by a 2.0% jump (15.0% y/y) in automotive products inventories and a 1.5% rise in furniture (7.8% [...]

In August U.K trade data are relatively upbeat as exports rise 3.5% overall and imports fall by 0.7%. But the broader picture is still disconcerting. Over three months exports are falling at a 24% annual rate as imports advance at a [...]

Import prices eased 0.1% during September (-10.7% y/y) following a revised 1.6% drop during August, revised from -1.8%. A 0.5% decline had been expected in the Action Economics Forecast Survey. A 1.1% increase (-46.1% y/y) in [...]

The OECD area shows a step down to 99.9 from 100 demonstrating sub-normal growth. The U.S. index fell to 99.2 in August from 99.5. The U.K. fell from 99.7 to 99.5 in August. Japan fell to 99.8 in August from 99.9. China fell to 97.2 [...]

Initial claims for unemployment insurance declined to 263,000 (-11.6% y/y) during the week ended October 3rd from a little-revised 276,000 during the prior week. It was the lowest level since the middle of July. The four week moving [...]