Economy in Brief: 2005

The National Association of Realtors reported that with a 2.0% m/m rise in August to 7.29 million, total existing home sales recovered nearly all of the prior month's downwardly revised 2.7% decline. Consensus expectations had been [...]

A recent focus in commodity markets has been on the damage to petroleum drilling & refining facilities caused by Hurricane Katrina and potentially from Hurricane Rita as well as the resultant price effects. Indeed, versus before [...]

A recent focus in commodity markets has been on the damage to petroleum drilling & refining facilities caused by Hurricane Katrina and potentially from Hurricane Rita as well as the resultant price effects. Indeed, versus before [...]

Japan's trade surplus shrank markedly in August from a year ago, reaching ¥116.3 billion from ¥572.9 billion. Exports grew vigorously, up 9.1%, but imports leaped 21.1%. As might be expected, petroleum accounted for a significant [...]

The August Composite Index of Leading Economic Indicators reported by the Conference Board fell 0.2% following a revised 0.1% dip in July. These declines and slight downward revisions to prior months' data lowered six-month growth in [...]

Initial claims for unemployment insurance rose another 8,000 w/w to 432,000 last week following an upwardly revised 97,000 surge the prior week. Consensus expectations had been for 450,000 claims. The Labor Department indicated that [...]

Initial claims for unemployment insurance rose another 8,000 w/w to 432,000 last week following an upwardly revised 97,000 surge the prior week. Consensus expectations had been for 450,000 claims. The Labor Department indicated that [...]

It is widely observed that there are major dislocations in European labor markets. Debate over reforms of present labor regulations in Germany, for instance, has basically paralyzed the government as last Sunday's elections gave no [...]