Economy in Brief: October 2019

The ADP National Employment Report count of private nonfarm payrolls increased a slightly-greater-than-expected 125,000 in October (1.5% year-on-year) following a downwardly-revised 93,000 gain in September (was 135,000). The August [...]

The Federal Reserve lowered the target for the Fed Funds rate by 25 basis points to a range of 1.50% to 1.75% at today's FOMC meeting. It was the third cut this year from a top range of 2.25% to 2.50%. The move reduced the rate to its [...]

The EMU overall Index fell to 100.8 in October, its weakest level since January 2015, from 101.7 in September. Ireland and Luxembourg have not reported; Table 1 reflects reporting from 17 of 19 EMU members. Of these 19, all but five [...]

Economic growth eased during Q3'19 to 1.9% from 2.0% in the second quarter. A 1.5% rise had been expected in the Action Economics Forecast Survey. The slowdown lowered growth over the last four quarters to 2.0%, its weakest since the [...]

The ADP National Employment Report count of private nonfarm payrolls increased a slightly-greater-than-expected 125,000 in October (1.5% year-on-year) following a downwardly-revised 93,000 gain in September (was 135,000). The August [...]

The Mortgage Bankers Association reported that its Mortgage Loan Index rebounded in the week ending October 25, rising 0.6% w/w (57.6% y/y) after declining 11.9% w/w in the previous week. Purchase applications rose 2.3% w/w (+9.9% [...]

One question that the central banks like the European Central Bank, the Federal Reserve and the Bank of Japan could ask is: what is the job of a central bank in a world where inflation has been tame and has been too tame for too long? [...]

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) reported that U.S. pending home sales rose 1.5% (3.9% y/y) during September following a 1.4% August increase. The index level of sales increased to 108.7, the highest level since December [...]