Economy in Brief: 2016

Housing starts increased 2.1% during July to 1.211 million units (SAAR) from 1.186 million in June, revised from 1.189 million. It was the highest level since February and 5.6% higher than one year earlier. Expectations were for 1.18 [...]

Pricing power waned during July. The consumer price index remained unchanged (0.8% y/y), as expected in the Action Economics Forecast Survey, following two months of 0.2% increase. Prices excluding food & energy nudged 0.1% higher [...]

The ZEW index of expectations is compiled from the survey results of German financial experts. Expectations recovered in August to post a 0.5 net reading, a positive assessment for expectations, up from -6.8 in July. July had been a [...]

The Composite Housing Market Index from the National Association of Home Builders-Wells Fargo improved to 60 during August from 58 in July, revised from 59. The NAHB figures are seasonally adjusted. During the last ten years there has [...]

The Empire State Factory Index of General Business Conditions declined during August to -4.21, the lowest level in three months. Expectations had been for 1.3 in the Action Economics Forecast Survey. The data are reported by the [...]

Total business inventories edged 0.2% higher (0.5% y/y) during June following an unrevised 0.2% increase in May. Total business sales strengthened 1.2% (-0.6% y/y) after a 0.3% rise, revised from 0.2%. Retail inventories rose 0.5% [...]

The headline Final Demand Producer Price Index declined 0.4% (-0.2% y/y) during July following an unrevised 0.5% June rise. It was the first decline since March. A 0.1% rise had been expected in the Action Economics Forecast Survey. [...]

While U.S. GDP growth has dropped off a cliff, growth in the EMU and the U.K. is more or less mid-range since end-2009. In 2016 Q2 quarterly growth is decelerating in the EMU and in five of nine of the original EMU member GDP [...]