Economy in Brief: 2004

Import prices rose a modest 0.2% last month, just half the Consensus expectation. The prior month's surge of 1.7% was a bit lower than initially estimated due to a downwardly revised 0.3% gain in non-petroleum prices. In September, [...]

In August, the U.S. foreign trade deficit deepened to $54.0B, the second highest level on record. Prior months' figures were little revised. Consensus expectations had been for a somewhat shallower deficit of $51.0B. Total exports [...]

In August, the U.S. foreign trade deficit deepened to $54.0B, the second highest level on record. Prior months' figures were little revised. Consensus expectations had been for a somewhat shallower deficit of $51.0B. Total exports [...]

Japan's current account surplus for August, reported today by the Bank of Japan, increased ¥347 million from July in seasonally adjusted terms. This brought it to ¥1.734 billion, the third largest monthly surplus in the almost 20-year [...]

Mortgage applications plunged last week according to the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA). After two weeks at a relatively high level, the MBA index dropped 9.2% to the lowest level since August and so far in October is 0.7% below [...]

Mortgage applications plunged last week according to the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA). After two weeks at a relatively high level, the MBA index dropped 9.2% to the lowest level since August and so far in October is 0.7% below [...]

The ZEW index of sentiment among institutional investors and analysts declined 7.1 points from September to 31.3 in October and was 29 points below October of a year ago. It was also below its long term average of 34. There has been a [...]

Chain store sales recovered another 0.5% last week following the prior week's 0.3% gain, according to the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC)-UBS. The two gains pulled sales so far in October almost even with the [...]