Economy in Brief: 2017

Regular gasoline prices at the pump rose to $2.69 per gallon last week (21.9% y/y), and added to the prior week's jump to the highest level since August 2015. Haver Analytics constructs factors adjusting for the seasonal variation in [...]

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the total job openings rate held at 4.0% during July following June's unrevised improvement from 3.8% in May. It continued to equal the record. The hiring rate increased to 3.8%, its [...]

The U.K. CPIH inflation rate rose by to 2.7% over 12 months from 2.5% last month. The HICP headline rose to 2.9% from 2.6% last month. The CPIH also gained 0.2% in August with the ex-energy rate up to 0.3%. HICP U.K. inflation gained [...]

The National Federation of Independent Business reported that its Small Business Optimism Index improved to 105.3 during August following a 1.6 point July jump to 105.2. The latest level was the highest since February, up 11.5% y/y. [...]

The Industrial Materials Price Index from the Foundation for International Business and Economic Research (FIBER) increased 1.8% during the last four weeks and gained 13.4% during the last twelve months. During all of last year prices [...]

Italy's industrial production gained 0.5% in July after a 0.8% increase in June. It also advanced 0.9% in May. IP has advanced strongly for three straight months as well as in five of the last six months. Growth rates by sector are [...]

Consumer credit outstanding grew $18.49 billion (5.9% y/y) during July following an $11.82 billion June increase, revised from $12.40 billion. It was the strongest monthly gain since February. A $15.0 billion July increase had been [...]

Japan's trade surplus continues to log positive readings and sports a higher reading at 337 billion yen in July, up from 87 billion yen in June. The surplus is the highest since February and about double the values posted from March [...]