Economy in Brief: September 2007

We've commented on developments in Germany often in recent weeks, but it seems worthwhile as that nation's economy remains firm. Today, the Federal Statistics Office reported on the labor market through August. Employment of German [...]

The growth rates in the table below tell an erratic story of trends in the U.S. housing sector. Prices finally are lower year/year but are still, on balance, higher over the past four. Sales of new homes by region have very different [...]

GDP’s growth in Q3 was revised down marginally in the final estimate to 3.8% from 4% previously. Growth was chipped away in a number of sectors including structures and exports while imports were revised higher. Imports drain growth [...]

GDP’s growth in Q3 was revised down marginally in the final estimate to 3.8% from 4% previously. Growth was chipped away in a number of sectors including structures and exports while imports were revised higher. Imports drain growth [...]

Yesterday, Louise Curley described the continuing deterioration in Germany's IFO business climate measures. Somewhat the same is true for similar surveys in France and Italy. In the French INSEE survey, the Business Climate Index has [...]

Durables goods orders fell sharply in August by 4.9% after a 6.1% spurt in July. Excluding transportation, orders fell by 1.8% after a +3.4% in July and a 1.3% drop in June. Orders growth has been erratic. Still, trends are for the [...]

Durables goods orders fell sharply in August by 4.9% after a 6.1% spurt in July. Excluding transportation, orders fell by 1.8% after a +3.4% in July and a 1.3% drop in June. Orders growth has been erratic. Still, trends are for the [...]

The IFO's headline series on the business climate in Germany's manufacturing, construction and trade industries continues to erode. Since April of this year the diffusion index, which measures the excess of optimists over pessimists, [...]