Economy in Brief: 2016

Contraction in the level of factory sector activity has recurred. The ISM Composite Index of manufacturing activity fell to 49.4 during August from an unrevised 52.6 in July. It was the lowest level since January, and compared to 52.0 [...]

Nonfarm output per hour during Q2'16 fell 0.6% (SAAR), revised from -0.5%. It was the third consecutive quarterly decline and matched expectations in the Action Economics Forecast Survey. The latest decline occurred as output [...]

Initial unemployment insurance claims rose to 263,000 (-6.4% y/y) during the week ended August 27 following an unrevised slip to 261,000 claims in the prior week. The four-week moving average eased to 263,000. The Action Economics [...]

Despite the unchanged rate of unemployment in the EU and EMU in July, there are still a lot of unemployment changes occurring in the member countries. In July, seven of eleven early reporting EMU member countries had declines posted [...]

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) reported that pending home sales increased 1.3% during July following a 0.8% June decline, revised from +0.2%. These sales are reported as an index with 2001=100. The July value of 111.3 was [...]

The Chicago Purchasing Managers Business Barometer Index declined to 51.5 during August following an unrevised fall during July to 55.8. The figure compared to expectations for 54.4 in the Action Economics Forecast Survey. Haver [...]

The ADP/Moody's National Employment Report showed a 177,00 rise (1.9% y/y) in nonfarm private sector payrolls during August following a 194,000 July gain, revised from 179,000. So far this year, payrolls rose an average 184,000 per [...]

The Conference Board's Consumer Confidence Index increased 4.6% to 101.1 (-0.2% y/y) during August from 96.7 in July, revised from 97.3. The latest figure was at the highest level since September and surpassed expectations for 97.0 in [...]