Economy in Brief: September 2005

Initial claims for unemployment insurance fell a sharp 79,000 to 356,000 last week following a 11,000 rise the prior week which was little revised. Consensus expectations had been that claims would remain in a range of 350,000 to [...]

Initial claims for unemployment insurance fell a sharp 79,000 to 356,000 last week following a 11,000 rise the prior week which was little revised. Consensus expectations had been that claims would remain in a range of 350,000 to [...]

Business surveys for four European countries reported today for September and August show a largely stagnant picture for European companies. Signs of life that had appeared earlier seem to have dissipated. In France, for example, the [...]

The total number of mortgage applications fell a sharp 6.6% last week, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association, and left applications so far in September 1.4% above August. Mortgage applications to refinance plummeted 10.5% w/w [...]

US durable goods orders in August recouped much of the prior month's decline with a 3.3% rise that far exceeded Consensus expectations for a 0.8% increase. The volatility of orders in the transportation sector recently has been [...]

US durable goods orders in August recouped much of the prior month's decline with a 3.3% rise that far exceeded Consensus expectations for a 0.8% increase. The volatility of orders in the transportation sector recently has been [...]

The IFO's overall measure of business confidence in Germany, the Business Climate Index, rose unexpectedly in September to 96.0 (2000=100) from 94.6 in August. Most analysts had expected the index to weaken in view of the spike in [...]

The International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC)-UBS survey indicated that chain store sales inched 0.1% higher last week, depressed again by the Hurricane effect which lowered sales 2.1% the prior week. So far this month sales [...]