Economy in Brief: 2015

U.K. GDP growth has been cut to 0.4% in Q3 2015 from what had previously been estimated at 0.5%. Growth also is steadily slipping with its annual rate dropping from 2.8% in Q4 2014 to 2.5% in Q1 2015, and to 2.3% in Q2 and now to 2.1% [...]

Durable goods orders were little changed in November (+1.2%y/y) following a 2.9%m/m jump in October (revised down slightly from the initially reported 3.0%m/m rise). Action Economics' Forecast Survey had anticipated a 0.7%m/m decline. [...]

FHFA U.S. House Price Index Purchase Only (SA %) Oct Sep Aug Oct Y/Y 2014 2013 2012 Total 0.8 0.3 0.5 6.1 5.6 7.5 3.3 Mountain 0.9 0.4 1.5 9.3 7.5 12.3 7.8 Pacific 1.2 0.6 0.5 8.3 9.6 16.1 4.9 West South Central 0.8 0.2 0.5 6.5 5.8 [...]

Natural gas prices fell last week to $1.69 per mmbtu (-52.9% y/y) and roughly equaled the 15-year low. Increased shale-gas production has weighed heavily of prices, but as of yesterday the price decline stabilized. WTI crude oil costs [...]

The Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia reported that its Index of Nonmanufacturing Sector Activity at the company level fell to 25.5 in December, the lowest level since August. The reading was well below the year-ago level of 47.5, [...]

The National Association of Realtors reported that existing home sales slumped 10.5% in November to a seasonally adjusted annual sales pace of 4.76 million homes. This was the lowest level of sales since April 2014. All four major [...]

FHFA U.S. House Price Index Purchase Only (SA %) Oct Sep Aug Oct Y/Y 2014 2013 2012 Total 0.8 0.3 0.5 6.1 5.6 7.5 3.3 Mountain 0.9 0.4 1.5 9.3 7.5 12.3 7.8 Pacific 1.2 0.6 0.5 8.3 9.6 16.1 4.9 West South Central 0.8 0.2 0.5 6.5 5.8 [...]

The U.S. House Price Index from the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) increased 0.5% in October, making the year-to-year gain 6.1% y/y; the October rise was moderately slower than the 0.7% monthly change in September, which was [...]