Economy in Brief: 2012

The Leading Economic Indicator index from the Conference Board matched expectations and edged 0.1% lower last month. That followed a revised 0.5% July gain, initially reported as 0.4%. Sixty percent of the component series had a [...]

The four-week moving average of initial claims for unemployment insurance rose to 377,750 last week, its highest level since late-June. On a weekly basis,initial jobless insurance claims fell to 382,000 during the week ended September [...]

Japan's economic indices show faltering economic momentum. The economy-watcher gauge and its forward-looking measure are both easing. The NTC/Markit manufacturing sector gauge is weaker. The Teikoku manufacturing gauge echoes that [...]

Lower interest rates are fueling activity in the market for home mortgages. The Mortgage Bankers Association index of total mortgage applications slipped 0.2% last week (+21.2% y/y) but that followed an 11.1% increase during the prior [...]

Home buying is gaining momentum. The National Association of Realtors reported that sales of existing homes rose 7.8% last month to a 4.820M annual rate. That followed an unrevised 2.3% July rise. It raised sales to the highest level [...]

New residential building activity remained on a solid footing last month. Total housing starts rose 2.3% (29.1% y/y) to 750,000 (AR) from 733,000 during July, revised down from 746,000. Expectations had been for 760,000 starts in [...]

The Composite Housing Market Index from the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo increased three points this month to 40. The latest figure was the highest since June 2006. The index of single-family home sales rose four [...]

For a month and a half gasoline prices have been on the rise. The pump price of regular gasoline rose three cents last week to $3.88 per gallon, the highest level since mid-April. At this is the time of year, seasonal price pressures [...]