Economy in Brief: 2015

The Institute for Supply Management (ISM) Composite Index of Nonmanufacturing Sector Business fell to 56.9 during September from an unrevised 59.0 August. Despite the decline, the average during the third quarter of 58.7 was its [...]

The ECB's targeted HICP already has dipped below zero in its year-over-year change. In August the PPI shows another sharp drop in headline PPI prices. Are the forces of deflation gathering steam? The August PPI in the EMU fell by 0.9% [...]

Job growth remained weak for a second month during September. Nonfarm payrolls grew 142,000 following downwardly revised increases of 136,000 and 223,000 during the prior two months. The gains compared to a 260,000 average last year [...]

Job growth remained weak for a second month during September. Nonfarm payrolls grew 142,000 following downwardly revised increases of 136,000 and 223,000 during the prior two months. The gains compare to a 260,000 average last year [...]

Strength in employment and income combined with minimal pricing power continues to generate buying at new car & truck dealerships. Total sales of light vehicles increased 2.0% during September to 18.17 million units (SAAR). Sales were [...]

The value of construction put-in-place increased 0.7% during August following a downwardly revised 0.4% rise in July. June's increase was revised higher to 0.6%. Three-month growth declined sharply to 6.8% (AR), down from 30.0% in the [...]

Activity in the manufacturing sector is continuing to lose steam. The Composite Index from the Institute for Supply Management (ISM) fell to 50.2 during September following an unrevised decline to 51.1 in August. It remained the [...]

Japan's Tankan survey of large, medium-sized and small firms showed a drop in its bellwether large company index of manufacturers. That index fell to 12 in Q3 2015 from 15 in Q2. The index value of 12 is below the four-quarter average [...]