Economy in Brief

The flash PMIs from Markit show EMU values with the composite PMI rising to 53.7 in April from 53.2 in March. The manufacturing gauge actually ticked higher while the service sector PMI rose, carrying the day and pushing the composite [...]

• Sales rebound from weather-depressed February. • Gains spread throughout most of country. • Median home prices decline. New home sales surged last month to the highest level since August 2006. Sales of new single-family homes surged [...]

The U.K. Confederation of British Industry (CBI) survey saw its order component backtrack in April falling to -8 from -5 in March even as optimism on future output expectations gained purchase. Total orders have a queue standing in [...]

• Growth remains at record level. • Component movement is mixed. • Expectations for six months ahead ease. The Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City reported that its manufacturing sector business activity index rose to a record 31 in [...]

• Initial claims in PUA program edge up, but are still low. • Continuing claims decrease, and rate eases back to pandemic low. • Continuing claims for PUA and PEUC benefits both increase. Initial claims for unemployment insurance [...]

• Existing home sales decline to lowest level since last August. • Inventory of unsold homes falls sharply from last year. • Prices rise to record high. The market for previously owned homes weakened last month after sales declined in [...]

• Rebound in leading index largest rise since last August. • All 10 components made a positive contribution in March. • Coincident indicators also rebounded in March. The Conference Board's Composite Index of Leading Economic [...]

• Activity recovers following severe winter storms in February. • Production, personal spending & housing strengthen following earlier month's declines. The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago's National Activity Index increased to 1.71 [...]